2025 AAPD Annual Meeting

Co-Author(s)

Liana Santos, BS

University of California, San Francisco

Stephen Wilson, D.MD, M.A., PhD

Adjunct Professor
Ohio State University/Nationwide Children's Hospital
Ohio State University/Nationwide Children's Hospital
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Methods:
Thirty children aged 4 to12 years old undergoing OCS were randomized to receive either a 6-lb WB or a visually identical, sham-WB ( < 1 lb). Behavioral data were collected using a minute-by-minute log, and procedural outcomes, including PS use, were documented. Demographic, behavioral, and sedation-related variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics and group comparisons.

Results:
The WB and sham-WB groups had no significant differences in demographic or procedural variables. PS was used in 60% of participants, with wrist straps being the most common (n=18). No significant difference in overall PS use was observed between the WB and sham-WB groups (P =.46). However, wrist PS was engaged earlier in the WB group (P =.02). Children receiving minimally invasive treatments, such as silver diamine fluoride (SDF), had less PS engagement. Behavioral observations, including crying, torso movement, and verbal protests, did not differ between groups. No adverse events occurred.

Conclusions:
Weighted blankets did not significantly reduce PS use but may influence the timing of wrist restraint. The findings suggest that PS may be less critical for some children undergoing OCS, especially when minimally invasive treatments are performed.

72 - Comfort or Just Extra Weight? Investigating Weighted Blankets in Pediatric Dental Sedation

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