PEDIATRIC RESEARCH | Department of Emergency Medicine
TRAUMA TIGER
The Role and Influence of Distraction Therapy in the Emergency Department during Pediatric Traumas
The Trauma Tiger study looked at the Role and Influence of Distraction Therapy in the Emergency Department during Pediatric Traumas. Results of this study identified that both pediatric trauma patients and involved healthcare personnel reported improvement in pain and emotional distress after participating in Trauma Tiger.
Out of the 50 distributed toys, 37 surveys were successfully completed. Among these surveys, 92% of pediatric patients (n=34) and 78% of staff members (n=29) reported a positive impact following interaction with the plush toy.
These findings suggest that utilizing a simple distraction intervention can meaningfully improve outcomes for both pediatric trauma patients and involved healthcare providers. Given their low cost, ease of implementation, and minimal need for staff training, this practical intervention could be easily incorporated into standard pediatric ED protocols.
Our goal is to empower healthcare personnel with the means to change every child’s medical experience for the better.
Imagine the worst day of your life. Now picture yourself at just 10 years old—surrounded by strangers, bright lights, loud voices, and people moving you around, examining you from head to toe. While our daily lives may often feel routine, a visit to the emergency room is anything but normal—especially for a child.
It’s remarkable to consider the impact a small plush toy can have in such a moment. Trauma Tiger is a new initiative that embraces a holistic approach to pediatric emergency care. It highlights how even simple, comforting gestures—like offering a cuddly toy—can leave a lasting impact on a child’s ability to process trauma and build resilience.
Childhood resilience, grounded in scientific research, reminds us that the effects of trauma extend far beyond the hospital visit. Trauma Tiger represents more than just comfort in the moment; it’s a tool for long-term healing and empowerment.
As emergency medicine providers, we are called to be more than just clinicians—we are advocates, healers, and leaders. By helping children cope with fear through comfort, we begin to change lives. Learn the science, understand the impact, and discover the next steps we can take to shape a better future for our pediatric patients.
- Sarahbeth Howes, MD (LSUHS Resident)
TREASURE TROVE: Randomized Control Trial
Given Trauma Tiger’s success, we have expanded upon the role of distraction therapy via Treasure Trove: a randomized control trial to gather more data regarding what resources worked well with pediatric patients using more context, such as their age and or gender.
TREASURE TROVE is a randomized control trial for all pediatric patients newborn to 18 years old roomed within our emergency department treatment areas. Our goal for this study is to expand our understanding and resources when providing care to any and all pediatric patients in the emergency room.
Thank you for being a part of this research project. I am sorry for what you are going through and I hope you feel better. The poem above is something I wrote as a teenager diagnosed with cancer, learning I was something other than a disease or diagnosis through the help of others. Through kind people involved in my medical journey, I believed I could grow up to be whatever I wanted to be. My inspiration led me to become a physician, with the goal of empowering every healthcare personnel with means to change every child’s experience for the better.
Your participation is a valued part of that dream. By partaking in this project you are helping change the world for the better. Thank you for being awesome. Thank you for your part in revolutionizing childhood medical care.
Want to learn more about Trauma Tiger?
Email: howesyourtraumatiger@gmail.com
TRAUMA TIGER Poster References
4th Southern Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine Symposium Poster References
- Jack P. Shonkoff, Andrew S. Garner, The Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, and Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Benjamin S. Siegel, Mary I. Dobbins, Marian F. Earls, Andrew S. Garner, Laura McGuinn, John Pascoe, David L. Wood; The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress. Pediatrics January 2012; 129 (1): e232–e246. 10.1542/peds.2011-2663
- Knudsen EI, Heckman JJ, Cameron JL, Shonkoff JP. Economic, neurobiological, and behavioral perspectives on building America's future workforce. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jul 5;103(27):10155-10162. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0600888103. Epub 2006 Jun 26. PMID: 16801553; PMCID: PMC1502427.
- Lerwick JL. Psychosocial implications of pediatric surgical hospitalization. Semin Pediatr Surg. 2013 Aug;22(3):129-33. doi: 10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2013.04.003. PMID: 23870205.
- Li WHC, Chung JOK, Ho KY, Kwok BMC. Play interventions to reduce anxiety and negative emotions in hospitalized children. BMC Pediatr. 2016 Mar 11;16:36. doi: 10.1186/s12887-016-0570-5. PMID: 26969158; PMCID: PMC4787017.
- Kim Anderson Khan, Steven J. Weisman, “Nonpharmacologic Pain Management Strategies in the Pediatric Emergency Department.” Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 240-247, ISSN 1522-8401, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpem.2007.08.008.
- Sarah J.K. Wente, Nonpharmacologic Pediatric Pain Management in Emergency Departments: A Systematic Review of the Literature, Journal of Emergency Nursing, Volume 39, Issue 2, 2013, Pages 140-150, ISSN 0099-1767, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2012.09.011.
