Effect of Using a Dragon Design Nebulizer Mask on Treatment Duration, Compliance and Fear in Children

The meaning of a disease or medical procedure may vary depending on the child's developmental milestones. Children aged 3-6 years, who are in the preoperational stage of cognitive development as defined by Piaget, often perceive hospital environments with curiosity and fear. This age group is characterized by a vivid imagination and limited understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship, which can lead to misconceptions about medical procedures and devices. For example, they may believe that they are being punished or that procedures or medical devices are more painful than they are. They may react with heightened anxiety, clinginess, or aggression. Even using face masks for aerosol therapy may cause distress in young children, as the masks can be perceived as scary or uncomfortable. Young children prefer a hospital environment that is bright, cheerful, warm, colorful, and comfortable. These environmental factors help reduce anxiety and create a more welcoming and less intimidating atmosphere for young patients.

Emergency rooms are often not designed to accommodate agitated young patients, featuring physical layouts that are not conducive to their care, noisy and chaotic environments, and limited access to therapeutic spaces. The care team may also lack the resources to manage agitated children effectively. On the other hand, recent studies have highlighted the importance of creating child-friendly medical environments to reduce anxiety and improve cooperation during treatment. This study aims to evaluate the impact of using dragon/turtle-themed nebulizer masks on treatment application time, treatment adherence, and fear levels in children who present to emergency rooms.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 3-6 years,
• Presenting to the emergency department with a respiratory problem (such as an upper respiratory tract infection) requiring nebulizer treatment,
• In general good health and suitable for nebulizer treatment (i.e., not having conditions like severe allergies or chronic respiratory failure),
• Possessing age-appropriate language and communication skills,
• Not previously familiar with the dragon-themed masks,
• Having parental consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Children with major medical or psychiatric comorbidities as reported by the physician, nurse, or parent,
• Children with a chronic health condition requiring regular nebulizer use (such as asthma),
• Children with a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher,
• Children who have started treatment with sedative or anticonvulsant medications,
• Children and parents with visual, auditory, verbal, or cognitive impairments that would interfere with the use of the intervention equipment.