Therapy dogs can ease young patients’ anxiety in the emergency room

Approximately 10 minutes spent with a therapy dog calmed children who were nervous about being patients in the emergency room. A clinical study discovered that young patients who interacted with a dog experienced a notably greater reduction in their anxiety compared to those who did not spend time with a dog. On March 14, researchers reported in JAMA Network Open that parents of the patients also noticed a notable decrease in their children’s anxiety.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, addressing children’s anxiety and pain during emergency medical treatment is an essential component of the care plan. Numerous pediatric emergency departments employ child life specialists, who clarify procedures in ways suitable for children’s development and assist young patients in managing stress through play therapy and various techniques.

The recent clinical trial, conducted at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis between early 2023 and mid-2024, examined if including a dog therapy visit would further soothe young patients. Riley Children’s Hospital features a program for dog therapy. The dogs receive vaccinations, undergo annual veterinary examinations, and hold certification as therapy animals.

All 80 participants in the study, hospitalized patients aged 5 to 17 years, collaborated with child life specialists. Forty of the patients additionally interacted with a therapy dog and its handler for approximately 10 minutes. Children who were afraid of dogs or had allergies to them were not included in the trial.

The research group assessed the children’s anxiety, along with parents’ views on their children’s anxiety, using the FACES scale, which displays various faces exhibiting different levels of distress. The scale extends from zero, indicating no anxiety, to 10, representing extremely severe anxiety.

The baseline, self-reported score for all 80 patients was 5.4 on average. Forty-five minutes after time with the child life specialists and, for those receiving it, the dog therapy visit, the research team assessed anxiety again. The kids getting the usual care saw an average drop in their score of 1.5, while the kids who hung out with therapy dogs had an average drop of 2.7 points. The pattern held true when the parents of the kids assessed their kids’ anxiety over time.