A hospital in American helps young patients make sense of any medical treatment they need, in a very sweet way.
The Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health holds a teddy bears clinic once a week for the children.
Every Friday, the kids give the stuffed animals the jabs they need, put medical bracelets on their fluffy arms and put them through fake MRIs.
Doctors say the exercise is designed to help children understand some of the treatments they may undergo during their hospital stay.
“Medical play gives kids a chance to master their hospital experience,” said Sara Barnett, a manager at the hospital. “Allowing them to play with medical equipment familiarizes the experience and gives them healthy coping mechanisms so they won’t be scared when they see a syringe or a CAT scan during treatment.”
According to the manager, research backs up this kind of “medical play,” which is used routinely by the hospital.
