By Stephanie Chan

It’s never fun being in the hospital - even less so for a child. A recent study by Pediatrics, however, found that kids who regularly videoconference with their friends and family while in the hospital show signs of reduced stress as reported in Medline Plus’ article.

Oftentimes, hospital stays can feel isolating. Sure friends and family can stop by during visiting hours, but the hours after can feel unbearably lonely. It is the “social connection [of videoconferencing that] is important to [kids’] state of mind, health, and well-being,” according to Dr. James Marcin, the director of the telemedicine program at the University of California, Davis, Children’s Hospital.

This study aimed to determine whether videoconferencing produced the same positive results in child-patients as in-person visits did. And it did. Video calls helped keep the children in good spirits which is know to speed up the recovery process.

However, as beneficial as video calls may be for patients, healthcare has not yet caught up to the world of technology. And until that happens, it is difficult for hospitals to rent out laptops to their longer-staying patients. You’ll want to bring your own.

To read the full study, click here.

Published: July 7, 2014