Doctors usually tell children not to play too many video games, but games have been proven to play an important role. Specially designed ones help children who are afraid of shots.
Elizabeth Collins wasn't looking forward to this day. The normally sociable 9-year-old Taylor Swift fan plans to get a flu shot every year.
“I'm always so nervous when I take a shot,” she explains.
“For my daughter, it's usually a very stressful situation for her and frankly a stressful situation for us as well,” says her father, Clay Collins.
Elizabeth isn't the only one afraid of needles. According to the CDC, 1 in 10 people may delay getting vaccinated because of a fear.
“If you know that your child is going to the hospital for a shot, you may not even be able to get them out of the car,” explains Sam Rodriguez, M.D., co-director of the Stanford Chariot Program at Stanford Children's Health.
That's because Dr. Rodriguez and his team recently introduced a video game that reduces the stress of shooting.
“Our group, the Stanford Chariot Program, specializes in finding technology-based solutions to clinical problems. That's why we collaborate with software developers. “We tested it on our own children and patients in the hospital and got feedback from them to make sure it's the best product for children,” he continued.
The result of that effort was Piñataz, a game where kids custom design a pinata and try to collect the prizes inside.
The goal is to prevent the patient from becoming distracted and noticing the needle. ..and it works!
“It reduces stress because your eyes are focused on the game and not thinking about the shot,” Elizabeth says.
Everything about the game, from the length of the game to the graphics and music, has been carefully designed to keep you hooked.
“She was so focused on the game that she didn't really notice what was going on around her,” Clay said of her daughter's gaming habits.
“The whole process has become so much easier,” he continued.
The first rollout of the Pinataz video game took place within the Stanford Healthcare System. However, plans are underway for it to be used in other hospitals across the country and even internationally.
