Getting blood drawn can be a harrowing experience for kids. To distract them during the procedure, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is using virtual reality technology to better manage their perception of acute pain, anxiety and general distress.
Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles conducted a year-long randomized control trial with 143 patients ages 10 to 21 years in which they received either standard of care—which typically included a topical anesthetic cream or spray and a movie playing in the room—or standard of care plus a virtual reality game when undergoing routine blood draw.
