Play is critical for the physical, cognitive, and social emotional development of children. Play is pleasurable, has no extrinsic goal, must be spontaneous, involves active engagement, and has systemic relations to what is not considered play. In a medical setting, play is crucial to making a child feel more at ease and in control of his or her environment at a time when everything seems frightening and new. It is up to those who work with the child to enable the parents to cope at a stressful time, bringing a sense of calm for their hospitalized child. Play creates a sense of normalcy for everyone involved. Play Activity
A four-year-old patient who receives dialysis three times a week in outpatient dialysis …show more content…
They enjoy playing make-believe and learn by doing, which is important for their self-expression and development. The limited materials, however, allows the child to be able to make decisions based off what he or she has to choose to play with. The idea of imitating a hospital setting through magical play allows the child to learn the roles of different medical professionals through their own imagination with guidance from the facilitator. This play is providing a mechanism for coping with the stress the patient may have from being in the hospital for multiple days of the week. It is also important to note that at this age, children may have a hard time communicating. Through this play, they can develop their language and communication with others.
Allowing the child to be expressive with clear and simple rules is important. Therefore, allowing them to pick their stuffed animals and dolls is the one major option they have in this play activity. Allow the child to use their self-expression when playing out the roles of the citizens of the kingdom within the boundaries allowed for a hospitalized patient. It is also important that the roles of each citizen in the make-believe kingdom refer back to the medical surroundings. Parents are involved each step of the way staying informed so that the play can be repeated possibly at …show more content…
Adolescents have the ability to reason. Allowing for the patient to discuss and communicate their feelings, they are able to draw connections to their emotions and behaviors. Typical stressors such as school and friends are heightened when they are afraid of missing out as they are isolated in the hospital. These stressors may appear during this therapeutic exercise as well. It is important to note that as the facilitator, the role is to be an active listener. Once ready to share their book, the adolescent patient may open up about their emotions. Again, it is important to note that the conversation is private, except for thoughts of self-harm or wanting to harm another person. The adolescent should be encouraged to talk openly with parents and family about the circumstances and their reactions to being hospitalized. Connections to family and friends either in person, by phone, or by video chatting can enable the hospitalized adolescent to feel less