Queen Victoria Hospital Uses ditto™ Diversionary Therapy Machine

NEW YORK, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- Device is clinically proven to decrease anxiety, treatment times while improving patient outcomes

Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, England, has procured Diversionary Therapy Technologies' (DTT) groundbreaking ditto™ device. The apparatus utilizes diversionary therapy to reduce children's anxiety prior to and during otherwise painful, sometimes traumatic procedures.

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(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120124/NY41361LOGO-b )

"The children that have used it during dressing changes have been engaged [with the ditto™] throughout and haven't really noticed too much about what's happening around them," said Debbie Daniels, a play specialist in the 16-bed pediatric ward.

The ditto™ incorporates the latest research that using distraction and educational techniques simultaneously lowers stress and anxiety prior to or during a procedure. This advancement draws upon augmented reality, a multi-modal sensory-based distraction medium that combines technology and therapy. Using an interactive touch screen, colorful marker keys and an automatic response to physical movement, the ditto™ engages patients, effectively averting their attention from a possibly negative experience.

"I can see the ditto™ will be helpful with both preparation and during procedures, enabling the child to cope better with the dressing changes," Daniels added. "They [the children] can focus their minds on the story and activities, whilst often painful and scary procedures are taking place."

The ditto™ looks a lot like a traditional video game console and includes a variety of interactive games, stories and procedural preparation tools. The handheld, waterproof device is portable and easy-to-operate for children of all ages. Unlike commercial video game devices, ditto™ is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, lower treatment times, and improve patient outcomes.

Doctors, surgeons, nurses, play specialists, and animation experts developed the ditto™ over the course of six years and subjected it to more than eight independent clinical trials that have demonstrated its effectiveness.  New procedures, games and stories are continuously being added to the content collection.

About Diversionary Therapy Technologies

Diversionary Therapy Technologies is a global company headquartered in Australia that masterminded the development of ditto™ portable device.  DTT worked with The Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, to create the handheld, waterproof device that is used prior to and during painful medical procedures to reduce children's anxiety. Learn more at http://www.dtt.net.au.

About Queen Victoria Hospital

Queen Victoria Hospital is located in West Sussex, England. The facility is a leading center for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation, helping people who have been damaged or disfigured through accidents or disease. The hospital's origins date back to 1863, and it was originally known as the East Grinstead Cottage Hospital.