Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: April | Volume: 9 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 84-89
Effectiveness of Play Therapy on Pain and Anxiety in Children Post Surgery
Renuka Deshpande1, Dr. Mayuri Rajesh Shah2
1Intern, Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pimpri, Pune
2Assistant Professor, Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pimpri, Pune
Corresponding Author: Renuka Deshpande
ABSTRACT
Background: Surgery can be a threatening experience for everyone, especially for children. Children are more vulnerable to stress due to their lack of knowledge of procedures, lack of perceived control, lack of explanation in child-appropriate terms and lack of pain management. Pain and anxiety in children is often left untreated in children. There are evidences about play therapy being effective in reducing stress in children between age 6-12 years but there isn’t any strong evidence whether they are effective in reducing pain and anxiety.
Method: Group A was given play therapy in the form of picking up sticks, bubble blowing and building blocks. Group B was given conventional physiotherapy in the form of general mobility exercises, breathing exercises and ambulation. These exercises were given keeping in mind the surgery that the child has undergone. Spence’s Children Anxiety Rating Scale (SCARS-parent reported) and Wong- Baker Pain Rating Scale (face) were the outcome measures used. Readings were taken pre and post intervention for both groups.
Result: Paired t- test was applied for SCARS and Wilcoxon test was applied for WBPS. The value of P (level of significance) was found to be <0.05 for within group analysis and unpaired t test was applied for between group analysis for SCARS and Mann- Whitney U test for WBPS, p value being <0.05.
Conclusion: Play therapy and conventional physiotherapy both were equally effective in reducing pain and anxiety in the postsurgical children.
Key words: Play therapy, children, post surgery