VR headsets could rewire Kids' pain response, brain study hints

NCT ID NCT06854991

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Nationwide Children's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This study will use brain imaging to understand how virtual reality (VR) helps children manage pain. Twenty healthy kids aged 6-17 will wear a blood pressure cuff to create mild pain while playing VR games, watching a passive VR video, or using an iPad. Researchers will measure brain activity with a special headband to see which approach works best.

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 Pain Alleviation Tool (VR-PAT)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could help develop better VR-based pain relief for children during medical procedures.
What could go wrong: This is a very small, early study in healthy children, not patients. It only looks at brain activity, not real pain relief, so results may not translate to actual medical settings.

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

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Acute Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ACUTE PAIN ADOLESCENTS CHILDREN EXPERIMENTAL PAIN IN HEALTHY HUMAN PARTICIPANTS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Nationwide Children's Hospital

Columbus, Ohio, 43205, United States

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