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Can a VR headset turn painful joint injections into a distraction game for kids?

NCT ID NCT07778069

Symptom relief Sponsor: Nationwide Children's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 21, 2026 · Last updated Aug 25, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study explores whether virtual reality (VR) can help reduce pain and anxiety in children aged 5-17 undergoing joint injections for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Participants will use a VR headset during the procedure, and researchers will measure how practical it is for nurses to use and whether children report less pain and anxiety. The goal is to see if VR can be a useful, non-drug tool in the clinic.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Virtual reality distraction therapy using a VR headset during joint injection procedures
What this could lead to
If effective, VR could become a standard, drug-free tool to help children cope with painful joint injections, reducing fear and discomfort.
What could go wrong
This is a very small pilot study (10 participants) focused on feasibility, not proof of effectiveness. Results may not apply to all children, and some may not find VR helpful or may experience side effects like dizziness.

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

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 10 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

5 to 17 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. rheumatology patients (5-17 years old) who are undergoing an IA glucocorticoid injection in the Nationwide Children's Rheumatology Clinic, 2. have a legal guardian present for patients less than 18 years old for the procedure (for informed consent), and 3. can communicate orally. Exclusion Criteria: 1. any wounds that may interfere with study procedures, 2. vision, hearing, or cognitive/motor impairments preventing valid administration of study measures, 3. history of motion sickness, seizure disorder, dizziness, or migraine headaches precipitated by visual auras, 4. minors in foster care, 5. unable to communicate in English, 6. pregnant women, or 7. prisoners

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Acute Pain juvenile idiopathic arthritis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Acute pain Juvenile idiopahtic arthritis Procedural anxiety

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

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  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Nationwide Children's Hospital

    Columbus, Ohio, 43205, United States

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