The Presence of a Therapy Dog Reduces Pain and Anxiety During Pediatric Elbow Pin Removal
Purpose
The purpose of this research study is to assess whether the presence of therapy dogs can reduce pain and anxiety in children ages 3 to 10 having pins removed from their elbow.
Condition
- Elbow Injury
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Between 3 Years and 10 Years
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- presenting to clinic for elbow pin removal post elbow fracture surgery
Exclusion Criteria
- dog allergy - fear of dogs
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel Assignment
- Intervention Model Description
- control group or therapy group
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None (Open Label)
Arm Groups
| Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
|---|---|---|
|
Active Comparator Control Group |
Dog will not be in room when child has elbow pins removed |
|
|
Experimental Therapy Dog Group |
The dog will come in a few minutes before to meet with you and your child and ensure ease. The therapy dog will be present throughout the procedure and is able to sit on the exam table if desired. |
|
Recruiting Locations
More Details
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
Detailed Description
This procedure is done in an outpatient clinic 3-4 weeks after the pins are placed and can be uncomfortable and cause anxiety in some patients. Therapy dogs are trained to sit calmly with a patient on or near the exam table as a distraction from procedures.