Virtual reality headset helps calm young patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital
MIAMI - For kids, the stress and anxiety leading up to a medical procedure is often worse than the procedure itself, but new technology at one local hospital has patients smiling through it all.
A virtual reality headset called a "Smileyscope" is helping young patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital keep calm.
"The Smileyscope was making me not feel scared anymore. It was giving me dreams that I love," said Carolina Muinos.
Carolina recently visited the ER due to vomiting and dehydration.
When she needed an IV to get some much-needed fluids, nurses used the Smileyscope to distract her from the needle poke.
"The child cannot even try and peek to see what else is going on because it just takes them into another world," explained Zoila Araica Muinos, Carolina's mother.
Patients wear the headset and are fully immersed in a scene, such as an underwater exploration.
The clinician can hear what the patient hears and times the procedure to the narration.
"You're able to sync it to procedures like IV insertion, mediport access for our oncology population, meditation, breathing exercises," said Diana Gomez, the Clinical Practice Specialist for the Emergency Department at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. "Based on the need of your patient you can select what you want."
"They really were helpful in meeting our primary outcome, which is to reduce stress and anxiety for our kids," added David Seo, the Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer at Nicklaus Children's Health System. "They needed to use less sedation. The families and children would calm immediately when exposed to these technologies."
For Carolina and her family, it made a scary situation a bit more bearable.
"I recommend it to all parents not only as a distraction but as an introduction to procedures," Muinos said. "It does different ages. so as my daughter keeps on growing, she can grow with Smileyscope."
The hospital started using the Smileyscopes back in March. They are currently widely used all over Australia.
Nicklaus Children's does not charge you or your insurance an extra fee for use of the device.
