Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01441674

Animal Assisted Therapy in a Pediatric Setting

The primary purpose for this study is to determine if children who receive Occupational Therapy while they are an inpatient in the hospital will be more motivated to participate in therapy as well as increase the amount of time they will work during that particular session when a therapy dog is present during their sessions. The investigators will also be collecting data regarding a child's heart rate and blood pressure prior to the session starting and ending to determine if having a therapy dog present also helps relax a child.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Developmental Delays Behavior Problems Brain Diseases Cancers Cardiovascular Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cerebrovascular Disorders Communication Disorders Developmental Delay in Feeding Feeding Disorder Feeding and Eating Disorders Global Developmental Delay Learning Disabilities Mental Disorders Neoplasms Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Seizures Disorders Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive Stroke Vascular Diseases

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

Children's Hopsitals and Clinics of Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55102, United States

About this study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate if a patient in the pediatric acute care setting receiving Occupational Therapy (OT) services in adjunct with animal assisted therapy (AAT) are more motivated to actively participate in the therapy session for a longer period of time.

Methods:

Thirty inpatients will be recruited to participate in this study. This study will utilize a randomized crossover study design where the patients act as their own control. The treatment period for hospitalized patients will include an on off pattern of incorporating AAT into their OT session. Patients' participation of therapy will be assessed with a participation scale (see Figure 2) and the OT session time. Patients will be evaluated for OT and the therapist will determine goals based on functional status and needs of the particular patient. Goals will be determined by providing a functional evaluation based upon Occupational Therapists clinical observation, developmental standards and current functional level of the patient.

Patients who are potential candidates for this study will be hospitalized at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota on the St. Paul campus. All inpatients stated to have decreased functional skills that have been referred by a physician to OT will be invited to participate this study.

Patients have a difficult time participating in various therapies due to emotional stress, anxiety, and feeling uncomfortable with the hospital environment. Limited studies have demonstrated the value of AAT used in conjunction with OT for children, regardless of diagnosis within the hospital setting. Results of this study can justify the use of this valuable therapy not only for the selected population, but also for other disciplines such as physical and speech therapy.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Inpatient Occupational Therapy Referrals
  • Ages 0-21 years

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients who are uncomfortable with dogs
  • Patients who exhibits violent behavior
  • Animal Allergies
  • Patients are unable to work with a dog
  • Patients who exhibit severe cognitive delays

Treatment and study plan

Animal Assisted Therapy

Behavioral

There will be a therapy dog and dog trainer present working with the patient for the AAT arm.

Other names: Group 1 and Group 2

Primary outcomes

  1. OT Participation scale

    Time frame: 4 days

    The patients response to therapy can be measures using the following behavior domains (cognition, fine motor, activities and daily living, feeding skills, active range of motion/activities, and functional Transfers).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Vital Signs (Blood Pressure and heart rate)

    Time frame: 4 days

    Heart rate and blood pressure will be measured to assess if AAT minimizes stress and anxiety.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effectiveness of Animal Assisted Therapy for Children Hospitalized in a Pediatric Setting

Acronym: AAT

Important dates

Study start
2011
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2013
First posted
Sep 28, 2011
Registry last updated
Feb 14, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.