VR technology can help kids address needle fear ahead of Covid vaccine roll out

SECTOR UPDATE - oVRcome

Christchurch based “oVRcome” launches Child and Adolescent programme today.

With the Covid-19 vaccine now approved for those aged between 5 and 11 years, parents face the challenge of helping their children feel comfortable with the next stage of New Zealand’s roll out. A virtual reality startup out of Christchurch is set to provide a solution, launching a programme designed for children, that leverages virtual reality to treat a number of anxieties and phobias, including needles.

oVRcome has already been used to treat hundreds of adults in both New Zealand and around the world for fears including social anxiety, public speaking, flying, spiders and more.

The child and adolescent programme has been specifically developed to gently guide younger participants through virtual reality exposure therapy in preparation for real-world situations and environments, like - a vaccination clinic.

According to WHO, 16 percent of adults avoid getting the influenza vaccination because of a fear of needles and children are nearly three times as likely to hold this fear.

oVRcome’s child and adolescent programmes are designed for young people aged 5-13 with content designed age appropriately. A teens programme is due for release in early 2022.

The programme has been developed by founder Adam Hutchinson and Christchurch-based clinical psychologist Catherine Gallagher - a specialist in the treatment of anxiety in children. Through her evidence-based work supporting young people, Catherine advocates for facing the things we fear rather than avoiding them - an approach she believes VR can enable extremely well.

“It’s a great way to expose people to a variety of information and environments that aid their understanding of anxiety and teach them skills to stand up to it,” she says.

“In this day and age, accessibility is a barrier to treatment. Programmes like this allow people to virtually step into this therapeutic space in a supported and safe way”

Before beginning VR exposure, a child takes part in a psychoeducation component that builds foundations for both parent and child around concepts like “worry brain.”

Gallagher says children gain knowledge, understanding and coping skills through learning why they have fear and giving them skills to manage it in language they understand.

She says current uncertainty and messages around a lack of safety with no real end in sight has exacerbated difficulties that might already have been underlying or brewing.

“Children face particular issues - the return to environments that may now feel uncomfortable having been home in their bubble - and of course having to have vaccinations.”

Through oVRcome, parents can join their child on the journey, selecting VR simulations according to the situations and environments that affect their child most, all in the comfort of their own homes.

Accessibility was a key driver behind the creation of oVRcome for founder Adam Hutchinson.

Says Adam, “There can be difficulty in getting young people to workshops, support systems and so on - whether as a result of their own hesitancy - or simply wait as a result of wait times patients are currently facing”

Hutchinson thinks there is a real opportunity for young people to use programmes such as oVRcome to treat issues early, before they escalate through adulthood. Says Adam, “Children are digital natives who have grown up competent with technology, now accelerated by distance learning. They are used to collaborating and creating with classmates and teachers, using technology and immersive learning environments.”

For those looking for extra professional support - oVRcome can be used with the support of a clinical psychologist and relating dashboard.

Find out more at www.oVRcome.io

Source: oVRcome media release

Sector updates are provided by organisations to eHealthNews.nz and have not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the organisation issuing the release.

Do you have an item to add to sector updates?

Email your information to us at updates@hinz.org.nz

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page