Hospital dogs may ease Kids' fear, study says

NCT ID NCT07221006

Not yet recruiting Symptom relief Sponsor: Children's Hospital Colorado Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at whether spending time with a trained facility dog can help children ages 8 to 17 feel less afraid and anxious while staying in the hospital. Participants will either visit with a dog and a child life specialist, do a mindfulness activity, or color. Their heart rate and self-reported fear and anxiety will be measured to see if the dog makes a difference.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: facility dog intervention
What this could lead to: If it works, this could show that interacting with a trained dog helps children feel less scared and anxious during hospital stays.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage study with only 126 participants. The results may not apply to all children or hospitals, and the effect might be small.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for INPATIENTS are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

INPATIENTS PEDIATRIC

Contacts and locations

Locations

Children's Hospital Colorado

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.