Effectiveness of intellectual color game, audio-visual and stress ball distraction methods on gagging and anxiety management in children.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of Intellectual color game, Audio-Visual and Stress Ball distraction methods on gagging and anxiety management in children.

Study Design: One hundred eight children, between 5 and 12 years of age, with gag reflex score ranging from G1 to G3 requiring upper and lower alginate impressions for diagnostic purpose were included in the study. The baseline gagging score (G0) and baseline anxiety (A0) was recorded for included children. Then upper and lower impressions were attempted with unflavored alginate by employing one of the selected distraction methods (Intellectual Color Game, Audio-Visual, Stress-Ball) by randomization protocol. The anxiety and gag reflex scores were recorded after impression procedure and analyzed statistically. The value set was ≤ 0.05.

Results: Children in stress ball group showed higher significant change in the pre and post gagging scores when compared to audio visual and intellectual color game groups. While assessing anxiety scores, all the three groups showed significant change between the pre and post anxiety scores.

Conclusion: Intellectual Color Game, Audio-Visual and Stress-Ball distraction methods can be recommended as implicit tools for gagging and anxiety management in children.