Study of Dog-Assisted Therapy to Reduce Anxiety During Blood or Dental Extraction in Children Ages 3 to 12

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate how Animal Assisted Therapy AAT with a therapy dog affects children aged 3 to 12 during blood or dental extraction procedures in a Primary Care Pediatric Service. The study focuses on whether AAT can reduce emotional stress for the child and their accompanying family member, and make the task easier for nursing and dental professionals. It is a randomized, open-label two-arm controlled trial comparing standard care with the addition of AAT. Children in the control group will undergo blood or dental extraction following the usual health center protocols. The experimental group will receive the same standard procedure plus interaction with a therapy dog, including 10 minutes before, during, and 5 minutes after the procedure. This intervention is delivered by a team including nurses, dentists, a pediatrician, and an AAT technician. Participants will be assessed using several measures of distress and anxiety, such as the Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress OSBD, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire STAI, and Wong-Baker Faces Scale, at baseline, during, and immediately after the intervention. Data on age, gender, medical conditions, type of extraction, and pet ownership will also be collected. The study monitors emotional stress reduction and the facilitation of procedural tasks over the course of the trial ending in December 2025.

Dog-Assisted Therapy in Children During Blood or Dental Extraction.