Therapeutic play to teach children with type 1 diabetes insulin self-injection: A pilot trial in a developing country.

Only 20 children were studied, so the trial could not show whether the effect would persist in a larger group. Injection technique was tested immediately after one play session, not after 30 days, so it does not show lasting skill. The standard group had only one baseline demonstration, so the comparison was not a true post-treatment versus post-treatment test. Groups were not fully balanced: family income was higher in the play group, and insulin pen use was under-represented in the standard group. Self-injection frequency did not change after 30 days, so the intervention did not show a behavioral effect. Feasibility was limited by clinic space and time; data collection sometimes occurred in waiting rooms, and families were not reimbursed for travel. Satisfaction was reported only by play-group parents, with no comparison group. The play session combined story, demonstration, practice, and usual clinic care, so the study cannot show which component caused the score change.

No funding or conflict-of-interest statement appears in the supplied text. The listed publication types include NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.

Do not conclude that therapeutic play alone improves insulin self-injection over time or reduces the need for adult supervision. The study had 20 children, the session also included nurse demonstration, practice, and routine clinic care, and technique was tested only immediately after one session. Parent-reported self-injection frequency did not differ after 30 days.