Title

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Vapocoolant for Pediatric Immunization Pain Relief

Authors

Lindsey L. Cohen, Georgia State UniversityFollow
Jill E. MacLarenFollow
Melissa DeMoreFollow
Beverly FortsonFollow
Abby FriedmanFollow
Crystal S. LimFollow
Balram GangaramFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of vapocoolant for preschoolers’ immunization injection pain relief.

STUDY DESIGN: 57 4- to 6-year-old children were randomized to vapocoolant alone or typical care conditions. Pain was measured at baseline and at injection via self-report, caregiver-report, nurse-report, and an observational scale.

RESULTS: Self-report suggested that children in the vapocoolant alone condition demonstrated stronger increases in pain from baseline to injection than typical care. All other measures showed significant increases in pain from baseline to injection, but none indicted treatment effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with prior studies, vapocoolant might not be an effective pain-management intervention for children’s intramuscular injections.

Comments

This article was originally published in the Clinical Journal of Pain. Copyright © 2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

The post-peer-reviewed version is posted here with the permission of the author.

Recommended Citation

Cohen, L. L., MacLaren, J. E., DeMore, M., Fortson, B., Friedman, A., Lim, C. L., & Gangaram, B. (2009). A randomized controlled trial of vapocoolant for pediatric immunization distress relief. Clinical Journal of Pain, 25(6), 490-494. DOI: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181a00414