Playing Around with Video Games

Many thanks to Toni Brayer, MD for turning me on to the Laryngospasms. There’s more than one video to enjoy, but I think this one is the most entertaining!

And now, since we’re on the subject of playing around in medical facilities…

I have never heard of a multi-modal distraction device used in medicine before, nor do I know if these devices must be FDA approved to be marketed in the US. But an Australian company by the name of Diversionary Therapy Technologies has developed a touch-screen video game to take children’s minds off of painful procedures. The company website also posts information on clinical trials.

It’s also heartening to see attention in mainstream media being given to video games that get kids moving. This came up already in August, when we looked at the product called Re-Mission from HopeLab, but I think it’s worth bringing up that there’s more products already out there on the market. Some are used in conjunction with exercise equipment, like the Entertrainer or GameRunner; others are more along the lines of virtual reality, such as EyeToy: Kinetic and Wii’s Dance Dance Revolution. Some families in my neighborhood are obsessed with their Wii system, and this is a good game to recommend for kids who share their parents’ addiction.

Have you seen the news that Spain has opened up a portal on the Second Life website so that teens can anonymously chat with doctors? For those of you who haven’t heard about it, Second Life is an online, 3-D virtual world that can be used for free, but requires paid membership beyond the basic services. Read the Guardian article here, and see what you think. Personally, I have mixed feelings about it, and would like to know more about how the program is managed — unfortunately, I was unable to find the portal through Googling. If anyone else finds it, please let me know.