Distractive Play

Play has therapeutic value in helping children cope with their hospital experience. When a child is placed in a hospital, his first response is emotional. If a child is able to play, the activity gives him a chance to express himself and also choose what he wants to do. As a result the child will typically become less overwhelmed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of distraction on children’s perceptions of pain and expressed emotion before and after a medical procedure in a children’s hospital. The researcher observed children receiving intravenous starts before surgery and measured each child's expressed emotions and pain. An intervention distraction activity was used during the I.V. start involving the use of an "I Spy" book to give the child a different point of focus. A significant effect of the distractive play was found on a child's expressed emotion. This study should therefore provide a positive look at play in a hospital setting and the possible use of its application in other medical settings in the future.