Immersion Therapy in the Treatment of Children with RSD
Chronic pain is one of the most pressing problems facing the modern healthcare system today. While there has been increased attention paid to chronic pain, especially in the wake of the opioid epidemic, chronic pain in children deserves just as much attention. No parent ever wants to see their child in pain and, unfortunately, this is one of the most neglected issues. According to a research paper recently published in the Journal of Palliative Care:
- As many as 40 percent of children and adolescents report pain that happens on a weekly basis
- Between 15 and 20 percent of children are impacted by chronic pain
- Pediatric pain is more common in girls than boys
One of the reasons why children may suffer from chronic pain is from a disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). People with this disease have a chronic illness that impacts the nerves in one or more of their extremities. This pain is always in the background but can wax and wane, possibly reaching a point that is so severe that they may not even be able to get out of bed. There are lots of different treatment options available, including:
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Opioid medications, such as Vicodin and Percocet
- Nerve injections
- Electrical stimulation therapy
- Surgical transection of the affected nerves
What happens when none of these options work? A recent study exploring immersion therapy in children may provide a novel alternative.
Immersion Therapy for Children with RSD: Virtual Reality
Several children who were confirmed to have RSD by the diagnostic criteria were enrolled in a study. The children were seated and provided an immersive virtual reality device that showed various images. The headset, chair, and floor provided various stimuli such as images, audio, and vibrations. The participants controlled an avatar by moving their limbs. For example, if the child made a kicking motion, their avatar would kick. The children completed multiple therapy sessions lasting for about 30 to 60 minutes and were given various tasks to complete. Based on the study, the children completed about 96 percent of their requested activities. Their statistics show that virtual reality had a positive impact on their pain scores. While this study was small, the results merit a larger study with more participants to see if virtual reality and immersion therapy can become a mainstay in the treatment of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.
The Future: Treatment Options
Managing RSD can be hard, particularly when the patient is a child. It can be tough to find treatments that work, especially when children won’t sit still for injections or refuse to take their medications. The children in this study found virtual reality fascinating and, hopefully, as this technology continues to develop, studies can be completed that find virtual reality exercises that are tailored to RSD in specific areas of the body. This type of technology can help pediatric patients maintain long-term motivation to treat their pain.
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Contact an Experienced RSD Attorney in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, an RSD Lawyer in Sacramento. If someone you know has children suffering from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, please call me at 916-382-0693. I am available to provide friendly, free legal advice.
Everyone is asked to look at my sample results here.
Image Citation: Pixabay hosted the image at the start of this page. The CC0 Creative Commons License has granted permission to show it here.
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