Communication with the child

Question 1

Play Therapy?

Answer 1

Encourages children to play out their frustrations and tensions.
Allows the child to take back a little control, using the dolls as patients.
Through play the child can relive experiences which they were not able to understand.
Play Specialists through play therapy can help the child cope with the hospital admission.

Question 2

Play assistants?
Play Specialists?

Answer 2

Play assistants provide play opportunities for all children in hospital and offer support to parents.
Play Specialists provide therapeutic play helping children cope with procedures.

Question 3

Play Preparation?

Answer 3

Preparing children for all procedures, painful or otherwise.
Use simple language and preparation tools to prepare the child.
Encourages the child to “act out” procedure.
Helps the child understand illness/treatment.
Helps the child cope with procedures.