Robotic fish vs. real fish: a soothing distraction for kids in pain?
NCT ID NCT07769385
First seen Aug 18, 2026 · Last updated Aug 19, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether watching robotic fish or live aquarium fish can reduce pain, fear, and anxiety in children aged 5 to 10 during painful medical procedures. Children will be assigned to watch one of the two fish distractions while undergoing the procedure, and their pain, fear, and anxiety levels will be measured. The goal is to see if these simple visual distractions can help children feel more at ease, offering a potential non-drug comfort tool for healthcare providers.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Watching robotic fish or live aquarium fish as a visual distraction during painful medical procedures
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could offer a simple, non-drug way for nurses and doctors to help children feel more comfortable during painful procedures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial, and the distraction may not significantly reduce pain, fear, or anxiety in all children. Results may vary by age or procedure.
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
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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
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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5 to 10 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Being between the ages of 5 and 10, and * Being subjected to painful procedures. Exclusion Criteria: * The child has a physical disability, and * There are circumstances that prevent the child's facial expressions from being clearly visible.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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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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
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Bingöl State Hospital
Bingoel, Turkey, 12000, Turkey (Türkiye)
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