The Effects of Medical Clowns in Children Undergoing Blood Tests

Evaluation of the Effect of Hospital Clown's Performance in the Procedure Room of a Pediatric Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The investigators hypothesized that the participation of therapeutic clowns in the pediatric emergency department procedure room would reduce anxiety, improve the level of cooperation children can provide and avoid some of the adverse effects.

Research has demonstrated that cognitive psychological techniques, including distraction, can increase pain tolerance. Humor can be an important intervention, able to reduce stress to both the child and the parent. In the last decade there has been a rapid growth in the presence of therapeutic clowns in hospital, particularly in pediatric settings. If therapeutic clowns are shown to positively affect any of the parameters being measured in this study, they should be included as aprt of the standard of care in the pediatric emergency setting.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children needing venous blood sampling or the insertion of an intravenous canula

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children whose blood work or intravenous line must be accomplished rapidly for therapeutic reasons
• Absence of a parent during the procedure
• Abnormal development according to parents