I particularly enjoyed this portion of the course. Of course, it has always made sense to me that “kids enjoy playing”. However, as a clinician I had never considered all the added benefits for the child’s development and management of his/her illness.(pain relief, dealing with stressors, processing illness, developing skills, navigating the world etc.)
One of the things I’ve always “enjoyed” in Paediatric Oncology has been that kids just seem to “get on with it”- eg. vomit a few times, and then ask “can I go to school tomorrow?” – such resilience, and a refusal to feel sorry for themselves. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE LESSONS FROM THE YOUNG ONES.
Play activities that I have noticed making a difference- puzzles, colouring in, painting, “social play”- which can be challenging in a ward where infection control is paramount.
I would love to incorporate all the different types of play, eg. fantasy play or medical art (a way of subtly introducing medical tools to children)
