The comparison of distraction and EMLA Cream effects on pain intensity due to intravenus Catheters in 5-12 years old thalassemic children

Intravenous (IV) insertion is a common painful procedure in pediatric care and it is a source of distress in children. Many children especially those suffering from chronic diseases such as thalassemia experince treatment procedures without any pain relief. This study was performed to compare the effect of distraction and eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) cream on pain intensity of IV catheterizing in children with thalasemia. In this study a clinical trial was performed on 32 thalassemic children aged 5-12 years selected by convenient sampling method. The methods of distraction, EMLA cream and control (routine intervention) were used for each case in three stages with 14 days intervals. Data was collected by Ocher scales and CMFS questionnaire and was analyzed using t- and Wilcoxon test. There was a significant difference between mean pain intensity (numeral and photographic) of distraction and EMLA cream methods compared to the control, but not between distraction and EMLA cream methods. Our findings showed that both distraction and EMLA cream procedures decreased pain of IV catheter with the same level of efficacy. However, since distraction method is more economical than EMLA ointment, it is recommended.