Feasibility trial of weighted blankets as an intervention for emergence delirium in postoperative pediatric patients

Background: Emergence delirium (ED) is a significant problem in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), resulting in dislodgement of medical devices, patient and staff injury, prolonged recovery, and parent dissatisfaction. Parental requests for the use of weighted blankets in the hospital setting have increased. However, while weighted blankets have shown potential as treatment for anxiety in adults and children, no studies have demonstrated their safe use with children in the hospital setting. Purpose: To explore the safety of weighted blanket use with children in the PACU as an intervention for ED, a feasibility study was conducted. Design and Methodology: A convenience sample of 93 participants, aged three to 10 years were recruited. Watcha scores, vital signs, length of wear time, and reason for blanket removal were recorded for all patients. Results: Eighty-five patients completed the study. Four participants experienced vital signs outside the defined safety parameters, with only one experiencing an adverse event (1.2%). This was consistent with the historic adverse event rate of 1% for the study site. Staff did not report issues with the use or cleaning of the blankets. Of interest, there was significant correlation between ED and suspected pain. Conclusion: The study demonstrated weighted blanket use is safe and feasible with children in the hospital setting, Additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of weighted blankets as an intervention for ED and the impact pain may have on the severity and prevalence of ED.