Hug therapy: could cuddling replace drugs for ICU kids?

This study looks at whether therapeutic cuddling (like kangaroo care or comfort holding) can help reduce pain, agitation, and delirium in children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). About 112 children expected to stay in the PICU for more than 48 hours will be randomly assigned to receive either standard care or standard care plus extra cuddling sessions. The goal is to see if this simple, drug-free approach is feasible and might improve comfort and reduce the need for sedating medications.