Abstract

CAMOUFLAGE TECHNIQUE: A NOVEL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR LOCAL ANESTHESIA

Savitha Sathyaprasad, *Divyia J., Krishna Moorthy S. H., Rakesh Rajeevan Nair, Shashikala Prabhu

Abstract

Background: Irrespective of the various behaviour therapy methods implied to alleviate the pain response due to the fear provoking stimulus, the site of injection needle and pain provokes anxiety response mainly due to the previous classical conditioning due to earlier injections or immunization of childhood or a dental injection during previous years. Aim: To endeavour a new behaviour management technique to change the perception of child to local anesthetic technique by desensitising the child to the fearful stimulus. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical trial was conducted among a study group of 65 children of frankel rating 2 and 3 are selected and a modified syringe pattern camouflaged with the child’s favourite cartoon character is introduced during local anesthesia administration thereby desensitising and guiding the child to think different or see a new point of view to the previously fearful situation. The control group is subjected to injection using a normal syringe with no modification. The pain perception levels are measured using a behavioural observational pain scale and compared between two groups. Result: Statastical analysis was done using Mannwhitney test and showed significant difference between the study and control group with p value of 0.001. Conclusion: The behaviour scale showed a better management of children wherein the modified syringe pattern was used rather than where the normal pattern was used. The use of this technique would help us to overcome the major hurdle of fear in children during LA administration.

Keywords: randomised clinical trial, behaviour management, syringe, camouflage.