Personalized Music for Delirium

(DEAP Music Trial)

This trial explores whether personalized music can reduce emergence agitation (restlessness and confusion) in children after ear tube surgery. Children aged 3 to 9 undergoing this surgery at Washington University will either listen to their favorite songs during the procedure or receive standard care without music. Ideal participants enjoy music and are scheduled for this specific ear surgery. As a Phase 1, Phase 2 trial, the research aims to understand how the treatment works and measure its effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of children, offering participants a chance to contribute to innovative care improvements.

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

Research shows that using music in medical settings is generally safe and well-received. Studies have found that listening to music in hospitals can lower heart rates, blood pressure, and stress levels, indicating a calming effect on the body.

One study discovered that slow-tempo music significantly reduced the risk of delirium, a sudden state of confusion, in intensive care patients. This finding encourages the use of music in medical settings, as it shows potential benefits without harm.

Additionally, a review of music interventions found that patients who listened to music had a lower risk of developing delirium compared to those who did not. This supports the idea that music can safely enhance medical care and improve patient outcomes.

Researchers are excited about using personalized music for delirium because it offers a non-invasive and patient-centered approach. Unlike standard treatments that often rely on medications, personalized music therapy leverages familiar songs to create a calming effect, potentially reducing the symptoms of delirium without the side effects associated with drugs. This approach not only taps into the emotional and memory centers of the brain but also empowers patients by involving them in their care, making it a unique and promising alternative to traditional methods.

Research shows that listening to music can help reduce symptoms of delirium. Studies have found that patients experience fewer delirium episodes when they listen to music, especially slow-tempo music. Although not every study found strong results, a consistent trend of improvement in delirium symptoms with music has emerged. Overall, music has been linked to less severe delirium and fewer negative effects. In this trial, participants in the Personalized Music Group will receive music tailored to their preferences, which might help children undergoing surgery by reducing emergence agitation, a condition similar to delirium.²³⁶⁷⁸