Robot Therapy in Pediatric Emergency

Completed

• Conditions: Child, Only
• Interventions: Other: Robot; Other: Caregiver; Other: Medical Personnel

• Registration Number: NCT04627909
• Lead Sponsor: University of L'Aquila

Brief Summary

The investigators are evaluating if the use of humanoid robots is an optimal distraction strategy in order to produce positive emotional states and facilitate the diagnosis and to reduce treatment time in pediatric age in emergency situations.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-07-01
• Primary Completion: 2020-02-28
• Study Completion: 2020-02-28
• Study First Submitted: 2020-11-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-11-07
• Study First Posted: 2020-11-13
• Status Verified: 2021-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-05-03
• Last Update Posted: 2021-05-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 109

Inclusion Criteria

• children between the ages of 3 and 10 with white, green and yellow triage code

Exclusion Criteria

• Red triage code
• inadequate knowledge of the Italian language,
• yellow triage code in case of: headache for recent trauma with visual impairment; headache with neck rigidity or vomiting; indifference to the environment; dyspnea and increased respiratory work; intoxication by inhalation of toxic substances; significant trauma to the head with altered state of consciousness.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Group under Robot treatment	Robot	Interaction with the Humanoid Robot for 15 minutes
Control group	Caregiver	Exclusive interaction with the caregiver for 15 minutes
Group involved with medical personnel	Medical Personnel	Interaction with medical personnel for 15 minutes

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Salivary cortisol level	The surveys have been made when children arrived, after their assigned 15-minutes interaction, and twenty minutes before medical physical examination.	The children's salivary cortisol production was measured over time to obtain a clear picture of the trend of the children's stress level before the emergency medical procedures.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Psychological tests	The surveys have been made after a 15-minute interaction with the robot or mother or medical staff.	The secondary endpoint was to explore whether and how psychological characteristics of the children, such as temperament and understanding of emotions, affected their emotional responses

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of L'Aquila; 🇮🇹 L'Aquila, Italy