Playkits develop role in easing kids ' anxiety over MRI scans

Giving young children a playkit that uses both virtual and augmented reality appears to reduce anxiety about this procedure, U.K. researchers have reported in an article posted on 7 November by BMJ Innovations.The "mixed realities" playkit is designed to help children prepare for the different elements of the MRI experience, using physical play to learn about an MRI scanner, augmented reality (AR) play to learn about the work of a radiographer, and virtual reality (VR) play to explore the journey of having an MRI scan."The development of the mixed realities MRI playkit addresses a significant global problem within pediatric anesthesia and presents an opportunity for a change in practice to reduce the use of general anesthetic and improve efficiency and resource usage within radiology and anesthetic departments," noted first author Jill Thompson, PhD, a senior lecturer and qualitative health researcher at the University of Sheffield, adding that safety concerns remain about the potential impact of anesthesia on a child's developing brain.In Sheffield, the longest waiting list in radiology is for MRI scans performed under general anesthetic, and delays in performing scans lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, as well as increased usage of scanning time, having a further impact on the MRI waiting list.Convinced that play can reduce children's anxiety about medical treatment and procedures, the researchers developed a playkit to help 4- to 10-year-olds have an MRI scan witho...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: MRI Augmented/Virtual Reality Source Type: news