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Safety of virtual reality use in children: a systematic review

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Abstract

The study aimed to systematically review available literature regarding the safety of virtual reality (VR) use via head-mounted display in children under 14 years of age. The study was a systematic review including all study designs. A search was conducted in January 2023 in PubMed and EMBASE using key terms referring to ‘virtual reality’, ‘paediatrics’ and ‘safety’.  Following title and abstract and full-text screening, data were extracted and a narrative synthesis undertaken. Twenty-six studies met criteria for inclusion in the final review.  Limited data suggest that VR may cause mild cybersickness symptoms (not severe enough to cause participants to discontinue use of VR) and that for children with existing amblyopia using VR may result in double vision, which resolves on cessation of VR exposure.  Two randomised control trials did not report differences in adverse events between the intervention (VR use) and control groups. Reporting of safety data was poor; only two studies used a validated measure, and in the remaining studies, it was often unclear how adverse events were defined (if at all), how they were categorised in terms of severity and how they were recorded.

     Conclusion: There is limited evidence regarding any potential harms from short exposure to VR in children under 14 years under supervision. Additional research is required to understand increases in cybersickness during and after VR exposure, and the impact of repeated exposure.  Adverse events need to be accurately and routinely recorded to determine any hitherto unknown safety concerns for children < 14 years using VR.

What is Known:

• Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being applied in paediatrics, with benefits in terms of anxiety reduction, improved pain management associated with procedures, as an adjunct to physiotherapy and supporting treatments in autistic spectrum disorder..

• Safety guidance in relation to VR use, particularly in younger children, is limited.

What is New:

• A systematic review of available literature regarding the safety of VR use via head-mounted display in children under 14 years of age demonstrated limited evidence regarding any potential harms from short exposure to VR..

• Studies rarely report safety data and adverse side effects are poorly defined, measured and/or reported.

• The lack of a validated measure for evaluating VR-associated symptoms in children compounds the challenging ethical issues of undertaking research into the effects of VR on younger children.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Data Research, Innovation and Virtual Environments, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Charlotte Bexson & Geralyn Oldham

  2. Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children’s Health, Illness and Disability, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3JH, UK

    Jo Wray

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  1. Charlotte Bexson
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  2. Geralyn Oldham
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  3. Jo Wray
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Contributions

CB, GO and JW conceptualised the review together and undertook the title and abstract and full-text screening. CB and JW undertook data extraction. CB wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. GO and JW revised the manuscript and all three authors approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Jo Wray.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Communicated by Peter de Winter

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Bexson, C., Oldham, G. & Wray, J. Safety of virtual reality use in children: a systematic review. Eur J Pediatr 183, 2071–2090 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-024-05488-5

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