I attended a conference last year where I was introduced to the topic of sensory environments in neonatal wards. Research found that neonatal wards are often not conducive to healing, as the constant beeping, business and overall sensory overload just overstimulates the babies.
This just made me start thinking about the sensory conditions of children’s wards as well. I cannot imagine how overstimulating it must be for a child with a life-limiting disease to be constantly in the pressence of beeping monitors, bright lights, busy medical professionals who speak over them, painful and uncomfortable medical equipment and then also experiencing strange sensations (such as pins-and-needles, smelling foul odours, other sensory experiences) due to side effects of some medications/ treatments. It must be so overwhelming and I am curious to know if this actually impacts their healing/ comfort levels as well!
I think the first way to address the sensory safety of children with life-limiting diseases/ severe pain, is to acknowledge their sensory experiences and ask about their comfort levels in the hospital ward. This can also include observing their behaviour (e.g. child rubs/ fidgets often, put their hands over their ears, blinking/ teary eyes or complaining of some sensory experience). When you are aware of their discomfort, you might be able to assist the child. (e.g. if the child already has a headache, but bright lights from a window is influencing his pain, perhaps simply closing his curtains or moving his bead may alleviate the added discomfort). I have to admit, I will not have the answer to all sensory overstimulating experiences in the ward, but I do think it is an important, often overlooked, aspect to consider for all patients, not the least of which includes children with palliative care needs.
