Children relax in the world of virtual reality before operations at Valencia hospital in Spain

ALL patients get nervous before a hospital operation and especially youngsters who may never have been in a hospital before.

That’s prompted the Hospital Clinic de Valencia’s Anaesthesiology department to use modern technology to reduce the stress and anxiety suffered by children.

Virtual reality glasses are being given to young patients who can now enjoy all kinds of relaxing videos.

There’s even an option to learn about what happens before an operation and to encourage ways of easy breathing and relaxation.

Department head, Rafael Badenes, said: “When children undergo surgery, there are times when they feel uneasy being in a strange place.”

“At this time it is essential to offer them something that makes them feel more comfortable and enables them to forget where they are, as far as possible,” he added.

“These virtual reality glasses can benefit both paediatric patients as well as adolescents.”

The hospital performs around 370 paediatric surgeries a year, with nearly all of them conducted under general anaesthetic.