Comparison of the Effects of Play Dough and Bubble Making Distraction Techniques on Venepuncture Pain Intensity in Children

Background: Venepuncture is a minimally invasive procedure, which is commonly performed in hospitals; if the pain is inadequately managed, it can cause negative feelings in children. Distraction can reduce pain through affecting the central nervous system and releasing neurotransmitters that inhibit pain. Aim: In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of play-dough and bubble making as distraction techniques on the intensity of venepuncture pain in children. Method: In this randomized, controlled, clinical trial, 90 children aged three to six years old, were randomly allocated to the three groups of play dough, bubble making, and control (n=30 for each group). This study was performed in Qaem, Imam Reza, and Dr. Sheikh hospitals of Mashhad, Iran, in 2015. The interventions consisted of using play dough and bubble making, which were started five minutes before venepuncture. Following the intervention, pain assessment was performed using Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and One-way ANOVA tests were performed to analyze the data, using SPSS version 16. Results: The mean of pain intensity in the play dough, bubble making, and control groups was 5.1±1.8 6.2±1.4, and 8.2±1.5, respectively (out of ten). One-way ANOVA reflected a significant difference between the three groups (P<0.001). Tukey’s post-hoc test showed that there was a significant difference between the play dough and control groups (P<0.001), bubble making and control groups (P<0.001), and bubble making and play dough groups (P=0.009). Implications for Practice: Use ofplay dough could reduce the children's pain during venepuncture more effectively. Thus, use of such simple, inexpensive, and easy to access techniques might relieve pain in children.