Virtual Reality Goggles Serving Children Patients
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herapeutic play, including play therapy, child life therapy, recreation therapy, continues to serve children facing struggles in hospitals, a time when their situation is anything but normal. Years ago, therapeutic play involved wooden building blocks or a plastic stethoscope to help children understand and become more comfortable with the medical instruments. Because of increasing technology,ww it looks quite different today using computers and tablets.
make great improvements. On average, 2-3 patients per day utilize this tool and they only expect that number to increase. To illustrate the impact, here is a story shared by their team:
In the 2017-2018 fiscal year we provided a grant to one of the most innovative child life programs in the United States. Nominated by the Eta Pi chapter at Metro State University, the child life program at Children’s Hospital Colorado received a $2200 grant to support the purchase of Oculus virtual reality goggles and hand controls to be used as an effective distraction, anxiety relief and therapy tool.
“A patient in our behavior health program needed to have a blood draw, but found the idea of needles very anxiety and fear inducing. The day before during a similar poke, the patient was screaming, throwing things and required seven employees to restrain the patient for the procedure. Following this, the team tried virtual reality as a distraction. The Child Life Team brought in the Oculus and had the patient try a game during the procedure, and while the patient was still anxious the care team was able to complete the procedure with no yelling or physical outbursts. The care team reported that it was like night and day compared to when they attempted the procedure without the virtual reality.
Children’s Hospital Colorado utilizes the virtual reality goggles and hand controls with their patients and have seen them
On behalf of Children’s Colorado, our Child Life Team, and our patients, I send sincere gratitude to Tri Sigmas for their support of
the Oculus virtual reality goggles and handset. Tri Sigma has been a long time partner to our Child Life Team and we are continually grateful for the support, the innovative thinking and inspiration you provide.” Sigma Serves Children is our philanthropic initiative to benefit children’s health. The Robbie Page Memorial (RPM) Fund became our first national philanthropy in 1954 and each year the Foundation awards grants through the RPM Fund to deserving organizations who provide therapeutic play to children. The Foundation is able to help hundreds of children annually. Over $3 million granted to date through the RPM Fund.