Montreal Children’s Hospital using virtual reality to lower needle anxiety

A team at the Children’s has been working on a pilot project using virtual reality to distract young patients during medical procedures.

Over the last year, 11-year-old Felix Côté and his parents have had to make many trips to the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

He was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a condition that can damage tissue or cause lesions on the body.

“At the beginning, it was hard to make him go to the hospital,” according to his father, Alexandre Côté.

That’s because Felix had a fear of needles, and his treatment required a lot of blood draws and other injections.

His mother, Natacha Thibault, said it was difficult to watch him go through these procedures.

“It was very hard for him and very hard for us to, you know, to see your kid sick and, you know, yelling and everything,” she said.

Afifah Chaudry, a child life specialist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital was working with the family to find a solution for Felix.

After speaking with him she found out he like video games. It turns out Chaudry and a team at the Children’s had been working on a pilot project using virtual reality to distract young patients during medical procedures.

“It makes such a difference, to our patients because it gives them the power to immerse themselves in another reality. so they are in the hospital, but they’re focusing on something that is fun, interactive,” Chaudry said.

The distraction was exactly what Felix needed to get through his treatment, according to Thibault.

“He didn’t cry, didn’t move. He let himself get tested and it was really better for him. It was a lot better for my mommy’s heart,” she said.

Chaudry said the pilot project has been successful for other patients as well, and the team is now looking at expanding it from offering games to meditation to bring peace to patients as they go through treatment.

Felix is now in remission but still requires tests. His parents said he now looks forward to his visits.