title: Use of animated cartoons with children's songs to increase compliance with ultrasonography in young children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of animated cartoons with children's songs to increase compliance with ultrasonography (US) examination in young children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animated cartoons with children's songs viewed on a cell phone were played just before the start of US examination when pediatric patients were agitated or irritable. The effect of this method was evaluated for initial responses and sustained responses (grade 0, no response; 1, partial response; and 2, good response). Site of US examination, scan duration, and the helpfulness of this method (0, useless; 1, partially helpful; and 2, very helpful) were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 464 pediatric patients who underwent US during the study period, 88 children (19%) needed to be calmed (67 abdominal and 21 other parts of the body). All subjects were less than five years of age (mean 1.5 years), except for four patients with mental retardation. Scan duration was less than 5 minutes in almost all examinations. Five children refused to watch the cartoon. Initial responses were good in 75 and partial in eight children. Sustained responses were good in 70 and partial in 12 children. The cartoons were very helpful in 73 (83%) and partially helpful in nine (10%) children. The effect of watching the cartoon did not change with sex, age (less or more than one year), or site of examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Animated cartoons with children's songs viewed on a cell phone were helpful (93%) in increasing compliance with US examination in young children of both the abdomen and other parts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. mjl1213@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Sok Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Myung-Joon
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Ultrasonography; child; compliance