# Effectiveness of non-pharmacological methods in reducing pain in pediatric patients and the role of nursing. Systematic review

**Authors:** Juan Manuel Pérez-Pozuelo, Sonsoles Hernández-Iglesias, Mónica Raquel Pereira-Afonso, Abel Checa-Peñalver, Inmaculada García-Valdivieso, Ángel López-González, Sagrario Gómez-Cantarino

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fped.2025.1729847 · Frontiers in Pediatrics · 2026-01-02

## TL;DR

This systematic review explores non-drug methods to reduce pain in children and highlights the importance of nursing in managing pediatric pain effectively.

## Contribution

The study identifies the most effective non-pharmacological pain relief method for children and emphasizes the nurse's role in its application.

## Key findings

- Combining vibrating and cold bee with a distractor is the most effective method for pediatric pain relief.
- Virtual reality is the ideal distractor for reducing pain in children.
- Non-pharmacological techniques are effective in reducing pediatric pain according to study scales.

## Abstract

The prevalence of pediatric pain has increased and is a leading cause of hospital attendance. Non-pharmacological treatments for pain relief in pediatrics are experiencing a boom.

Systematic review, following the quality guidelines of the PRISMA 2020 declaration. Previously determined inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed for the selection of studies.

The use of the vibrating and cold bee combined with a distractor is the most useful method, with virtual reality being the ideal distractor for the palliation of pediatric pain. The role of the nurse is essential to detect pain, choose the analgesia method and administer it.

The non-pharmacological techniques proposed and studied according to the selection of articles are useful in the reduction of pediatric pain according to the scales used in each study.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42025640378, identifier CRD42025640378.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** pain (MESH:D010146)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

36 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12808490/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12808490