Najčešće su maligne bolesti u dječjoj dobi leukemije, limfomi i tumori središnjeg živčanog sustava. Incidencija malignih bolesti kod djece i adolescenata iznosi 1 % i ima tendenciju rasta. Maligne se bolesti mogu manifestirati putem širokog spektra simptoma. Često se javljaju bol, depresija, anksioznost, kronični umor, ali i brojne nuspojave liječenja poput mučnina, povraćanja, alopecije, malaksalosti i/ili nesanice. Bol se može javiti zbog same patofiziologije malignih bolesti i zbog brojnih bolnih dijagnostičkih i terapijskih procedura, a povećava je neizvjesnost prognoze bolesti i strah od smrti. Sve zajedno narušava kvalitetu života djece, adolescenata i njihovih obitelji, te možemo govoriti o totalnoj boli. Depresija i anksioznost mogu, osim narušavanja kvalitete života, negativno utjecati na rezultate liječenja. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da je razina depresije i anksioznosti povećana na početku bolesti i smanjuje se do prve godine liječenja, no ne vraća se do razine prije oboljenja. Ukoliko nedostaje socijalna podrška, utoliko se može razviti i posttraumatski sindrom. Prevalencija kroničnog umora kod djece i adolescenata kreće se od 30 % pa do više od 90 % oboljelih. Osim same bolesti i terapijskih postupaka, čest uzrok kroničnog umora jest stres zbog izostanaka s nastave, gubitka prijatelja, pojave komplikacija, neizvjesnosti oko ishoda intervencija i liječenja, proceduralne boli i socijalne izolacije. U zbrinjavanju svih ovih simptoma pozitivne rezultate pokazuje upotreba distraktora. Širokom upotrebom računalnih tehnologija kao distraktor, ali i kao alat za edukaciju djece i adolescenata u pripremi za zahvate i intervencije, počinju se koristiti videoigre. Najčešće se koriste videoigre virtualne stvarnosti koje su interaktivna i multisenzorna aktivnost koja zahtijeva uronjenost u zabavne sadržaje te na taj način smanjuje okupiranost simptomima bolesti. Osim u dječjoj onkologiji, upotreba videoigara pokazala je dobre rezultate u liječenju i rehabilitaciji bolesnika oboljelih od neuroloških, mišićno-koštanih, psihijatrijskih, ali i brojnih drugih skupina bolesti. The most common malignant diseases in childhood are leukemias, lymphomas and tumors of the central nervous system. The incidence of malignant diseases in children and adolescents is 1% and tends to increase. Malignant diseases can manifest through a wide spectrum of symptoms. Often, there is pain, depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue, but also numerous side effects of treatment, such as nausea, vomiting, alopecia, malaise and/or insomnia. Pain can occur due to the same pathophysiology of malignant diseases and due to numerous painful diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and they increase the uncertainty of the prognosis of the disease and the fear of death. All aforementioned impairs the quality of life of children, adolescents and their families, and we can talk about total pain. Depression and anxiety can, in addition to impairing the quality of life, negatively affect the results of treatment. According to the research findings, the level of depression and anxiety increases at the beginning of the disease, declines until the first year of treatment, but does not return to pre-disease levels. If there is a lack of social support, post-traumatic syndrome can develop. The prevalence of chronic fatigue in children and adolescents ranges from 30% to over 90% of patients. In addition to the disease itself and therapeutic procedures, a common cause of chronic fatigue is stress due to absences from classes, loss of friends, the occurrence of complications, uncertainty about the outcome of interventions and treatment, procedural pain, and social isolation. The use of distractors has shown to be effective in alleviating all of these symptoms. With the widespread usage of computer technology, video games are beginning to be used as a distraction as well as a tool for educating children and adolescents in preparation for procedures and interventions. Virtual reality video games are most often used because they are interactive and multisensory activities that require immersion in entertainment content and thus reduce preoccupation with disease symptoms.In addition to pediatric oncology, the use of video games has shown good results in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients suffering from neurological, musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and numerous other groups of diseases.