Volume 29, Issue 160, June 2025

Non-pharmacological methods of perioperative anxiety assessment among pediatric population- a review

Jakub Klamecki^1♦, Dagmara Skowrońska^2,3, Katarzyna Cierpiszewska⁴, Aleksandra Garczyk⁵, Dominika Kuc⁶

¹Independent Public Health Care, ul. Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego 11, 62-040 Puszczykowo, Poland
²Department of Teaching Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-861 Poznan, Poland
³University Clinical Hospital in Poznan, Grunwaldzka 55, 60-352 Poznan, Poland
⁴Independent Public Health Care, ul. Sukiennicza 13, 64-500, Szamotuły, Poland
⁵Multispecialist Municipal Hospital, Szwajcarska 3, 61-285, Poznan, Poland
⁶Provincial Hospital in Poznan, ul. Juraszów 7/19, 60-479, Poznan, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Jakub Piotr Klamecki, Independent Public Health Care, ul. Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego 11, 62-040 Puszczykowo, Poland

ABSTRACT

Fear is, next to the pain, one of the most challenging factors in the pediatric population. It affects nearly 70% of the hospitalized children. Pharmacological assessment is considered effective and safe, but it has its limitations. This review aims to find and categorize the non-pharmacological methods of fear management based on scientific reports. Among these techniques were: parental presence during induction of anaesthesia, psychological techniques (eg. music therapy), educational approach, introduction of new technologies, breathing techniques and aromatherapy. All these strategies combined are beneficial for the entire pediatric population. Nevertheless, its introduction should be personalized according to patients' age. Furthermore, these techniques should be regarded as complementary to the pharmacological treatment, not as the complete alternative. Finally, some of these methods require increased spending in healthcare and they lack definitive outcomes in the pediatric population or in the perioperative period. Because of that, more studies need to be performed for better personalization of anxiety treatment.

Keywords: Anxiety, Children, Psychology, Perioperative

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e96ms3603

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i160.e96ms3603

Published: 30 June 2025