Objective: To study the effect of an active distraction technique on pain in preschool children receiving diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus immunization.
Design: Randomized, unblinded controlled study.
Setting: Columbus Public Health Department Immunization Clinics.
Participants: One hundred forty-nine 4- to 7-year-old children.
Intervention: Children were taught to blow out air repeatedly during the injection, as if they were blowing bubbles.
Results: Children who were taught to blow out air during their shots had significantly fewer pain behaviors (P < .04) and demonstrated a trend toward lower subjectively reported pain (P = .06). There was no significant difference in the nurse or parent visual analog scale scores.
Conclusions: A simple distraction technique can be effective in helping children cope with the pain of immunization. The use of such a technique to relieve the pain and distress associated with even a brief painful procedure should be encouraged.