Impact of Facility Dog Intervention on Pediatric Patients (NCT07221006) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Impact of Facility Dog Intervention on Pediatric Patients
United States126 participantsStarted 2025-12-01
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if medical dog intervention facilitated by a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) impacts pediatric patient coping, fear, and anxiety during inpatient admissions. The main questions it aims to answer are:
What impact does facility dog support via a CCLS have on patient fear, coping, and anxiety? What effect does facility dog support via a CCLS have on patient heart rate? Researchers will compare medical dog intervention facilitated by a CCLS, CCLS intervention, and a coloring activity to see if medical dog interventions positively impact coping, fear, and anxiety.
Participants will:
Receive a visit from a medical dog and their CCLS handler, a CCLS, or a Child Life Activity coordinator.
Engage in a mindfulness or coloring activity. Answer surveys regarding anxiety, coping, and fear. Have their heart rate measured before, during, and after their assigned intervention.
Who can participate
Age range
8 Years – 17 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Children admitted to an inpatient unit at Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
* Who are eight to 17 years old.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Isolation precautions
* Primary reason for admission is due to suicidality, self-injurious behavior, or injurious behavior
* Patients with history of or currently presenting with aggression or unsafe behavior
* Severe comorbidities secondary to traumatic brain injury, neurological disorder or neurodevelopmental issues that may confound study outcomes and administration of the study protocol (e.g., intellectual disability)
* Not medically stable
* Have a fear of dogs
* Have an allergy to dogs
* Have had a visit from a medical dog and medical dog handler during their current admission
* Patient has an urgent or time-sensitive need requiring medical dog support - Patient is non-verbal.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory Short Form
Timeframe: Baseline and approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention.
2
Children's Fear Scale
Timeframe: Baseline and approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention.
3
Coping Questionnaire - Child
Timeframe: Approximately 15 minutes after starting the intervention.