The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of laughter therapy in children to improve postoperative, evaluating the intensity of postoperative pain, anxiety and hospital stay.
The therapeutic efficacy of laughter is supported in several research which have shown to have preventive and therapeutic effects that contribute to a better quality of life. In addition, laughter can optimize strategies to increase pain tolerance and combat stress, reducing the negative impact such as increased blood pressure, decreases simultaneously perfusion of organs not needed for the motor function, increased metabolism rates cell with increased serum cortisol and increased risk of infections. Nevertheless the upswing in research on these effects, there is still a necessity to have evidence-based medicine as most of the available studies are limited by various problems such as lack of objectivity in the assessment and measurement, distinction between laughter and mood, establishment dosing therapies (frequency and time). The aim of our study is to determine the efficacy of spontaneous laughter in children to improve postoperative pain, anxiety and length of hospital stay. Methods: A controlled, randomized, open label trial with an experimental group exposed to the conventional pain treatment with laughter therapy; 2 control group, a group with accompaniment without causing the laughter of children to control the effect of a companion instead of the clown and a conventional treatment group to contrast with experimental group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
210
Laughter therapy sessions will begin as soon as / after that the complete anesthesia recovery, then we could start with two interventions, each of them in morning and during the afternoon will be held until their discharge lasting 30 minutes per each one, these sessions will be held in the service pediatric hospital by trained personnel in laughter therapy, which will be implemented through hospital clowns.
The interventions will be carried out by means of reading stories and own stories for the age. These sessions will begin subsequent to the full recovery of the anesthesia, and then two interventions per day, in the morning and evening, with duration of 30 minutes, until the time of his discharge, these sessions will take place in the service of Hospital pediatrics by the resident in charge.
Hospital General Naval de Alta Especialidad
Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
RECRUITINGPostoperative pain level
Pain level measurement at 48 hours determined by the visual analogue scale (Range: 0-10 cm)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative anxiety level
Postoperative anxiety level determined by STAIC (State Trait Anxiety Inventory Children) (Range: 10-40 points)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative urinary cortisol level
Postoperative stress level determined by urinary cortisol (μg/dl)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative heart rate
Postoperative heart rate (beat per minute)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative respiratory rates
Postoperative breathing frequency (breath per minute)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative systolic blood pressure
Postoperative systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative diastolic blood pressure
Postoperative diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Postoperative oxygen saturation
Postoperative oxygen saturation (%)
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
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Conventional treatment involves handling analgesic with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetaol, metamizol and ketorolac) as prescribed by the doctor surgeon treating, which starts immediately in the postoperative period.
Length of hospital stay
Postoperative hospital stay length (hours)
Time frame: 168 hours after surgery