Using VR headsets or play cards to ease fear during inhaler treatment for kids
Official title: The Effect of Using Virtual Reality Glasses and Gaming Cards on Fear, Anxiety, and Physiological Parameters in Children Administered Inhaler Medication
Run by Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University · NCT07780331 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether virtual reality or interactive distraction cards help 4–6 year-olds feel less fear and anxiety when receiving inhaler medication.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 4 Years to 6 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Balıkesir, Balıkesir) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 28, 2025 |
| Main results expected | October 2026 |
| Study ends | October 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 21, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07780331 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are children aged 4–6 years requiring inhaler treatment in the emergency department whose guardians consent to participation.
✕Probably not a fit
Children with visual, auditory, or cognitive barriers to interaction, or those with acute instability or conditions preventing inhaler use, may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, parallel-group trial compares two distraction strategies—virtual reality goggles and interactive distraction cards—against standard care in children aged 4 to 6 receiving inhaler therapy in an emergency department. Participants are allocated using stratified block randomization by gender to ensure balanced groups. Outcomes include fear and anxiety levels and physiological parameters such as heart rate and oxygen saturation, measured over the course of inhaler administration. The study is conducted at Susurluk State Hospital and aims to enroll 150 participants, with 50 in each arm. The intervention seeks to determine if distraction techniques can improve comfort and potentially adherence to inhalation therapy in pediatric patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, distraction tools could reduce fear and anxiety during inhaler treatment, potentially improving cooperation and clinical stability.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in pediatric procedures have shown some benefit from distraction techniques, but the combination of VR and card-based distraction in inhalation therapy is less established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Child being between the ages of 4 and 6 years. * Parents and children being completely voluntary to participate in the study. * Child having no visual, auditory, or cognitive communication barriers. * Child's cognitive level and motor development being appropriate for their age. * Child having no life-threatening acute or chronic systemic disease. * Child having no mental or neurological disability or condition. * Child and parent being fully open to effective communication and clinical cooperation. * Child having no medical condition that prevents inhaler mask or nebulizer application. Exclusion Criteria: * Child having any acute clinical condition that mechanically prevents inhaler treatment. * Child having a severe, life-threatening acute or chronic health problem at presentation. * Sudden development of severe clinical instability preventing completion of the trial.
Where it's running
-
Susurluk State Hospital, Emergency Department
Balıkesir, Balıkesir, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ecem Bakış, BSc, RN
- Email: bakisecem0@gmail.com
- Phone: +90 5459355068
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.