Virtual reality takes kids' minds off cancer treatment

Premier study at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta uses interactive 3D world to ease pain and anxiety of children undergoing chemotherapy

For pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy like 8-year-old William Bugbee of Newnan, who has been battling leukemia for the last two years, the anxiety leading up to treatment can be as uncomfortable, or more so, than the procedure itself. What’s more, treatment often requires normally active children to remain nearly motionless for extended periods of time.

At the AFLAC Cancer Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, young cancer patients like William may find their treatment a little easier to bear thanks to an innovative program currently underway to examine the effects of virtual reality as a “distractor” for painful or uncomfortable medical procedures.

William has been undergoing treatment for leukemia for the past two years, according to his father Will. He is one of 14 young patients participating in the virtual reality program.

When asked what he thought about it, he made no attempt to conceal his enthusiam. “It’s far out,” he said. “Amazing.”

His father is also extremely pleased at how it has helped William cope with his treatment. While Will has never put on the virtual reality helmet, himself, he has easily recognized the change in his son during the sessions.

William used to be quite tense and stressed out when his treatments would being, his father said. Now it takes only moments to see that he is obviosly engrossed in what he sees through his 3D goggles and occassionally does not even notice when his treatments begin and end. Outside observers such as parents are able to see on a television monitor exactly what the patient sees.

The research, the first known study of its kind in the United States, was conceived by psychologist Dr. Barbara Rothbaum of Emory University and computer expert Dr. Larry Hodges of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a pioneering team in virtual reality applications and founders of Virtually Better, Inc.

The anecdotal evidence is promising so far, according to Rosemarie Lemos, a registered nurse with the Outpatient Clinic at the AFLAC Cancer Center. “One very anxious patient, as he was experiencing the virtual reality environment, asked me when I was going to perform the procedure,” said Lemos. “My response was, ‘I already did.’”

William quickly seconded that observation. “That’s happened to me plenty of times,” he said.

“As a hospital dedicated to children, we place great importance on the development and support of tools that minimize the stress on our young patients,” Lemos added.

Virtual reality enables the user to interact within a computer-generated three-dimensional world via a head-mounted display, stereo headphones and a position sensor that resembles a joystick. While the best-studied use of virtual reality in mental health is in treating phobias, distracting patients as they get painful medical treatment is a promising area just now being explored. Virtual reality also has shown promise in reducing pain in pediatric burn patients.

“People only have a certain amount of additional resources, and a immersive virtual environment draws upon those resources,” said Ken Grapp, chief executive officer of Virtually Better, Inc. The firm develops, tests and commercializes virtual reality environments for different applications. “By distracting patients, virtual reality can be a valuable tool in the perception of pain and anxiety associated with medical treatment.”

The controlled study was launched at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in May to examine approximately 50 pediatric cancer patients between the ages of 8-18 undergoing chemotherapy this summer. Research staff records the participating patients’ pulse as well as ratings for pain, anxiety and discomfort before, during and after the procedure using a behavioral rating scale.

Developer Hodges consulted with Zoo Atlanta on the virtual reality environment, which takes the user on a tour of a gorilla habitat. The environment is best suited for children eight years of age or older, although in the future Hodges hopes to develop a virtual reality environment geared toward younger patients. Future research goals also include expanding the use of virtual reality to other painful procedures such as spinal taps and bone marrow aspirations.

The initial study is being funded by the Alan Stoudamire Psychosocial Fund, a Children’s Healthcare fund to provide psychosocial support for children at the AFLAC Cancer Center. A former professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine and a champion of children’s psychosocial needs, Dr. Stoudamire died earlier this year after his own battle with cancer. The fund was started with a gift from an anonymous donor and aims to reach $1 million to make the memory of Dr. Stoudamire an ongoing legacy for Children’s psychosocial programs and the families who need them.

For more information on programs, services and volunteer opportunities at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, call 404-250-KIDS or visit the Web site at www.choa.org.

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