Investigating the efficacy of a handheld fan intervention in children with dyspnea: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Introduction: Dyspnea associated with acute respiratory tract infections is a common cause of emergency admissions and can be distressing for children. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a handheld fan intervention on physiological parameters in pediatric patients with dyspnea. Methods: A total of 59 children aged 2 to 12 years presenting to an emergency department for upper respiratory tract infection between March 2022 and March 2023 were assigned to the experimental group (n = 32) or control group (n = 27) by urn randomization. Both groups received the hospital's standard care, including 3 doses of inhaled bronchodilator at 20-minute intervals. The fan intervention consisted of parents applying a handheld electric fan to the child's face at a distance of 15 cm for 5 minutes after each inhaler treatment. Oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded before treatment and after the 3 inhaler treatments. Results: There were no statistical differences in descriptive characteristics between the experimental and control groups (P > .05). Oxygen saturation values were significantly higher in the control group before treatment but showed greater increases in the intervention group after treatment (P < .001). The intervention group also exhibited greater reductions than the control group in both heart rate and respiratory rate after the third treatment than pretreatment values (P < .05). Discussion: The handheld fan intervention effectively supports inhaler treatment for children with dyspnea. Further studies are recommended to assess its impact across different age groups and clinical conditions.