Exploring Novel Non-pharmacologic Approaches to Address Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Pain in Pediatric Patients Undergoing In-Patient Surgical Procedures: A Scoping Review.

The pediatric population is more prone to experiencing anxiety and fear before undergoing an inpatient surgical procedure than adults. Non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as music therapy and virtual reality programs, have shown significant promise in reducing the post-operative pain associated with pre-operative anxiety of patients and their caregivers. While there is evidence to support the use of non-pharmaceutical treatment in the mitigation of pre-operative anxiety, there are limited published reports of non-pharmacological interventions for pre-operative anxiety in children undergoing inpatient surgical procedures.