Influence of therapeutic play on salivary cortisol levels in children undergoing venipuncture.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the influence of Instructional Therapeutic Play on salivary cortisol levels in children undergoing peripheral venipuncture. METHODS: randomized controlled clinical trial, allocated into two groups: Intervention and Control, conducted in pediatric inpatient units, children's emergency rooms, and outpatient clinics of two hospitals in the city of São Paulo. A sample of 52 children, both genders, aged between 3 and 12 years, underwent venipuncture and were able to play. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with a 5% significance level and a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: cortisol levels decreased in both groups, but less so among children who did not receive the toy intervention, remaining lower for those who did receive the intervention, and among those who were successfully punctured on the first attempt. CONCLUSIONS: although the null hypothesis was confirmed in this study, the use of Therapeutic Play for stress relief is recommended.