Virtual Reality-Assisted Cast Application in Children With Forearm Fractures

Forearm fractures are common injuries in children and frequently require cast immobilization. Although cast application is a routine orthopedic procedure, children may experience pain, anxiety, fear, and physiologic stress during the procedure. In some children, this experience may also lead to fear of returning to the hospital or doctor, sometimes referred to as doctor-related or white coat-related fear.

Virtual reality may help children during medical procedures by providing immersive visual and auditory distraction. In addition, an age-appropriate educational video may reduce uncertainty by explaining what will happen during the procedure and how the child should care for the cast afterward.

This study is designed as a prospective, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial. Children with forearm fractures requiring cast application will be randomized into two groups: a virtual reality group and a standard care group. Children in the virtual reality group will wear a Meta Quest 3 headset during cast application and watch a 3-minute child-friendly animated educational video generated using Google Flow. The video explains the cast application process, cast protection, and post-cast care instructions. Children in the standard care group will undergo routine cast application without virtual reality. Apart from the virtual reality intervention, all clinical care will be the same between the two groups.

During cast application, the orthopedic casting team will record procedural pain, procedural anxiety, heart rate before the procedure, mean heart rate during the procedure, heart rate after a 2-minute recovery period, procedure duration, whether the virtual reality headset was removed, and whether nausea, dizziness, or discomfort occurred. Caregivers will also rate the child's anxiety, their own anxiety, and the child's pain before and after the procedure.

One day after cast application, each child will undergo an approximately 30-minute follow-up assessment by a child psychiatry clinician who is blinded to group allocation. Children and caregivers will be instructed not to disclose whether virtual reality was used. This blinded assessment will evaluate the child's current anxiety, anxiety related to the cast experience, anxiety while returning to the hospital or doctor, reluctance to return to the doctor, fear-related behaviors at home such as crying or sleep disturbance, and distress when remembering the cast procedure.

The primary objective of the study is to determine whether virtual reality reduces cast-related anxiety and subsequent doctor-related fear after cast application. Secondary objectives include evaluating the effect of virtual reality on procedural pain, procedural anxiety, heart rate response, caregiver anxiety, procedure duration, virtual reality tolerability, and caregiver preference for future use of virtual reality during similar procedures.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 4 to 15 years.
• Diagnosis of an isolated forearm fracture requiring cast application with traction (greenstick injuries plastic deformation if NOT over 20 degrees bayonet apposition ok if <10 years and growth remains)
• First cast application for the current fracture episode.
• Typically developing children without a known developmental delay or cognitive impairment that would prevent participation in the study assessments.
• Ability of the child to understand age-appropriate instructions and respond to pain, anxiety, and fear-related assessments with caregiver assistance when necessary.
• At least one upper extremity free of immobilization, allowing heart rate assessment during the procedure.
• Parent or legal guardian able to provide written informed consent.
• Child assent when appropriate according to age and local ethics committee requirements.
• Ability and willingness of the child and caregiver to attend an approximately 30-minute blinded child psychiatry assessment 1 day after cast application.

Exclusion criteria

• Open forearm fracture.
• Multiple trauma or an additional painful injury that may affect pain, anxiety, or fear assessment.
• Need for emergency surgery, procedural sedation, or general anesthesia during cast application.
• Previous participation in this study.
• Known developmental delay, cognitive impairment, autism spectrum disorder with inability to complete study assessments, or severe psychiatric disorder that may interfere with questionnaire-based evaluation.
• Known epilepsy, photosensitive seizure disorder, severe motion sickness, vestibular disorder, or any condition considered unsafe for VR headset use.
• Visual or hearing impairment preventing use of the VR intervention or completion of the assessments.
• Head, face, or scalp injury preventing safe or comfortable use of a VR headset.
• Nausea, dizziness, or severe discomfort before the procedure that would prevent VR use.
• Refusal of the child or caregiver to participate.
• Inability to complete the 1-day child psychiatry follow-up assessment.