A Study to Assess Effectiveness of Play Therapy in Reducing Post-Operative Pain among Children Age 2 To 5 Year who have Undergone General Surgeries in Selected Pediatric Hospitals of Vadodara

Authors: Patel P¹, Khokhar J, Aamliyar K, Rohit K, Patel K and Purani K

DOI: 10.23880/pnboa-16000207

Volume 9, Issue 2

Abstract

Background: Play is a crucial part of a child's life and serves as one of the most powerful methods for relieving stress, discomfort, and pain. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of play therapy in reducing postoperative pain in children aged 2 to 5 years who have undergone general surgery at pediatric hospital in Vadodara. Objective • To assess the intensity of postoperative pain among children who have undergone general surgeries before, during and after administering play therapy in experimental and control groups. • To determine the effectiveness of play therapy on postoperative pain among children who have undergone general surgeries in experimental and control groups. • To find out association between pre-test postoperative pain and among children who have undergone general surgeries, regarding selected demographic variable. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with ethical committee approval, utilizing the FLACC pain assessment scale to evaluate postoperative pain in children aged 2 to 5 who had undergone general surgeries. The study used a non-probable, convenient sampling technique and obtained written informed consent from all participants. The FLACC scale scores range from 0 to 10, with pain categorized as follows: 0-3 indicating mild pain, 4-7 moderate pain, and 8-10 severe pain. The study focused on children from selected paediatric hospitals in Vadodara, examining how play therapy influenced postoperative pain levels. Data on pain were analysed in terms of percentages based on various factors, including the child's age, education level, parental education, previous surgical history, type of anaesthesia used, administration of analgesics, and the type of surgery performed. The study also explored the association between postoperative pain, play therapy, and selected demographic variables for children aged 2 to 5 who underwent general surgeries. Result: The pretest and posttest assessments of pain levels in the experimental group of children aged 2 to 5 years who underwent general surgeries in selected pediatric hospitals of Vadodara showed significant improvements. Before the intervention, none of the children reported mild pain, 96.7% experienced moderate pain, and 3.3% experienced severepain. After implementing play therapy, the posttest results revealed a remarkable reduction in pain levels, with 96.7% of the children experiencing mild pain, 3.3% experiencing moderate pain, and none experiencing severe pain. This substantial decrease indicates the effectiveness of play therapy in alleviating post-operative pain. Conclusion: The investigator determined that play therapy was effective for children who had undergone general surgeries, showing a strong connection between play therapy and reduced post-operative pain.

Keywords: Post- Operative Pain; General Surgeries; Play Therapy; Children Age of 2 To 5 Years

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