Children use iPads as a source of enjoyment. Apple's tablets are used by kids to play games, watch videos, and read stories, among others. Now, it turns out that iPads don't just serve as leisure activities; they also help calm children before they undergo surgery.
The research led by Dr. Dominique Chassard was presented at this year's World Congress of Anaesthesiologists (WCA), which is currently being held in Hong Kong from August 28 to September 2, EurekAlert reported. According to the study, iPads are as effective as general anesthesia in lowering the anxiety of kids due to parental separation before surgery.
Allowing children to use iPads prior to surgery increases parental satisfaction and quality of anesthesia induction. The study authors' main purpose was to compare how kids aged between four and 10 fared with midazolam (a sedative commonly used before administering anesthesia) in pre-medication with their peers who used age-appropriate game apps on an iPad during and after ambulatory or daytime surgery. Anxiety levels of both children and parents were examined as well.
According to the research, both parents and nurses found that anesthesia is more effective to children who used an iPad prior to the surgery. Chassard, however, said that midazolam can still dull children's parental separation anxiety before operations, but iPads are better at calming them down.
Perhaps the iPad's biggest advantage over sedatives like midazolam is it doesn't give any side effects. Midazolam's side effects are headache, drowsiness, hiccups, coughing, nausea, and vomiting, Everyday Health listed. If the drug is administered intravenously (through or within a vein), it can cause pain, redness, or hardening of the skin at the injection area.
Apple's iPad also helps children with autism thrive in special needs classrooms. Parent Herald previously reported that kids with cognitive development disabilities can benefit from a setup that involves tablets.
Children with autism spectrum disorder struggle with traditional teaching methods, according to KEPR. Using pens, pencils, and papers to study is difficult for them, but they shine when they are doing electronic activities. This is because virtual environments provide them comfort, predictability, and structure, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette listed.
Some parents of children with autism spectrum disorder believe that using iPads in special needs classrooms binds these kids. With an iPad and other electronic gadgets, special needs children can establish a connection with each other and bond over something that they have in common.
