NCT07151131

Cartoons and Reflexology for Postoperative Nausea, Pain, and Anxiety in Children

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 105 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Sakarya University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 4 Years – 6 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Preoperative anxiety arises as a physiological response of the body to stressors and is pathophysiologically associated with stimulation of the autonomic nervous system and increased catecholamine release (Durgut, 2021). As a result, elevated levels of cortisol and epinephrine in the body can cause cytotoxic effects at the cellular level. This physiological mechanism may lead to hypertension, arrhythmia, tachycardia, and tachypnea in children (Dehghan et al., 2019; Durgut, 2021). Due to these effects, recent evidence-based studies have focused on the use of non-pharmacological approaches with fewer side effects to manage anxiety in children (Kavak et al., 2019). According to the literature, various techniques have been identified as effective interventions for reducing preoperative anxiety in children, including: Listening to music, Playing games, Using dramatic puppets, Interactive play, Virtual reality applications, Watching cartoons, Playing favorite video games, Video presentations, Hospital clowns, Storybooks, Visual and auditory stimuli

Conditions

• Children
• Pain Management
• Nausea, Postoperative

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Watching Cartoons	Cartoon Group Intervention Children assigned to the cartoon group will be taken from the clinic to the preoperative room. Approximately 30 minutes before being transferred to the operating room, children will be allowed to watch a cartoon of their choice on a 60-inch screen TV placed approximately 200 cm away. The duration of the cartoon viewing session will be limited to 20 minutes. The measurement tools used in the study will be administered at five different time points: Immediately before watching the cartoon, Immediately after watching the cartoon but before being transferred to the operating room, In the postoperative period at the 60th minute, At the 120th minute postoperatively, And finally, at the discharge phase.
OTHER	Reflexology	Massage Group Intervention Children assigned to the massage group will be transferred from the clinic to the preoperative room. Approximately 30 minutes before being taken to the operating room, reflexology massage will be applied by the researcher physician Xxx XXXXX, who holds a valid reflexology certification. The massage will be administered to both the right and left feet, with 10 minutes per foot, for a total duration of 20 minutes. The measurement tools used in the study will be applied at five distinct time points: Before the massage, Immediately after the massage but before operating room transfer, In the postoperative period at the 60th minute, At the 120th minute postoperatively, And finally, during the discharge phase.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-01
• Primary completion: 2025-09-01
• Completion: 2025-12-01
• First posted: 2025-09-03
• Last updated: 2025-09-03