1. Unit 4 Child health
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2. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission.
AC 7.1 Describe how the early years practitioner supports a child to prepare for a planned hospital stay.
AC 7.2 Discuss the role of play therapy in hospital in supporting children’s recovery.
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3. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1]
How the early years practitioner supports a child to prepare for a stay in hospital
A child who is to be admitted to hospital is likely to be anxious, however if they are well prepared this should alleviate all their concerns.
There are many things that a practitioner can do to prepare a child for their hospital stay.
It is important in all cases that the practitioner liaises with the parents and that they work together to support and prepare the child.
The practitioner should discuss with the parents the child’s condition and what the hospital visit may involve. This will inform the practitioner who can then plan appropriate activities.
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4. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1]
Time: 15 mins
Have you ever been to hospital, either as a child or as an adult?
How did you feel?
What were your concerns?
What did you want to know – what information did you need?
What would have reassured you?
If you have never been to hospital, think about someone who has, or a visit to your GP or dentist that you have been worried about.
Teacher notes:
This activity is designed to encourage learners to put themselves in the role of the child by drawing on their own previous experience.
Learners need to start to be aware of the effects of a hospital stay on a child – before, during and after the visit.
Useful resources:
Useful web page on children and hospital stays, including sections on ‘Understanding the effects of a hospital stay’, ‘What might upset a child in hospital’ and ‘After hospital’
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5. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1]
Activities the practitioner can provide to prepare a child for a hospital stay
There are many activities that a practitioner can adapt to support children in preparing for hospital.
Arrange the role play area as a hospital so that all children can be involved.
Discuss the different roles that they can play – the different professionals in a hospital.
Provide opportunities for discussion, for example, circle time.
Read relevant books.
Use dolls or puppets to discuss issues (children are often able to verbalise their worries through a doll when they cannot talk about themselves).
Answer children’s questions honestly and sensitively, do not hide anything from them.
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6. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1]
Time: 15 mins
Plan an activity designed to support a child in preparing for a hospital stay.
Discuss the possible activities and decide what sort of activity you would like to plan.
You will need to decide what age child you are aiming your activity at.
You may find it helpful to write a little synopsis (a case study) of the child to explain why you have chosen this particular activity.
Use the activity planning sheet provided.
Teacher notes:
Learners will need to start by deciding the age of the child their activity is aimed at, and then writing a brief explanation of the child’s condition and their personality. For example:
Are they an anxious child?
What kinds of activities do they normally enjoy?
Would they respond to a discussion activity?
They need to understand that the activity has to be tailored to the child, while also involving the other children.
Useful resources:
NHS website for parents about preparing a child for a hospital stay – includes video
NHS advice on children in hospital
BBC web page on preparing children for operations – includes useful links to other websites
Advice from Addenbrookes hospital on preparing children for hospital stays
Advice from Great Ormond Street on preparing children for hospital stays
Videos from Great Ormond Street Hospital
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7. Discuss the activities planned during the Pairs activity.
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1]
Time: 15 mins
Discuss the activities planned during the Pairs activity.
Discuss the types of activities which are most suitable to prepare children for a hospital stay.
Consider how routine activities can be adapted.
What might be the effects of inappropriate activities?
Discuss the importance of the practitioner’s role in preparing a child for a stay in hospital – what should they be doing?
Teacher notes:
Learners should begin to question what sort of activities are appropriate and recognise the importance of the role of the practitioner in preparing children for a stay in hospital.
They should identify that the practitioner needs to:
constantly liaise with the parents
acquire knowledge about the child’s condition
be ready to support them after hospital.
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8. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
The importance of play
Practice in caring for children in hospitals has changed dramatically in the last 50 years.
Hospitals have now recognised the importance of attachment and that the child is likely to be less distressed if they have their parents staying in hospital with them.
Similarly hospitals have also acknowledged the therapeutic value of play in aiding children’s recovery.
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9. LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
The importance of play
Play is important to children’s development and it is equally important to children who are ill. Play can:
allow children to express their feelings and give the child some sense of control
help children to explore their feelings and come to terms with their hospital experience
give the child a sense of normality, that they are doing something that they are familiar with.
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10. Make notes on the importance of play for all children.
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
Time: 15 mins
Research the role of play and the play specialist in meeting the individual needs of children and supporting the recovery of those in hospital.
Make notes on the importance of play for all children.
Consider how play can meet the needs of children who are ill.
How can play be therapeutic to those who are in hospital?
Make notes on the role of the play specialist.
Which theorists are relevant that you could refer to?
Teacher notes:
This may be revision if learners have covered the theme of play.
They need to recap on the importance of play in children’s development generally, then consider its therapeutic role.
They should research the role of the play specialist.
This activity is to prepare for the Pairs activity, when the students will pair up and produce a presentation to explain to the rest of the class how to recognise signs and symptoms.
Useful resources:
Importance and objectives of play in hospital
Play in hospital and the role of the hospital play specialist
Great Ormond Street Hospital pages explaining the play services they provide
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11. Importance of play in aiding recovery
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
Importance of play in aiding recovery
Evaluate the importance of play in meeting the individual needs of children who are ill.
Distraction or an escape from the pain/operation/reality of condition or even procedure.
Children need to continue to learn through play as this will help them in the transition back to school/nursery- it can help them continue in their path of development.
Play with familiar medical equipment helps to mentally prepare children for their procedures.
Provides them with a sense of normality e.g. play as part of their regular routine. It enables them to explore, take reasonable risks in active play - letting them do something that gives them a sense of freedom.
Helps them cope with what is happening- play allows them to express emotion, it is therapeutic . It aides recovery.
The child might feel very distressed about the restrictions their illness places on the type of play they used to.
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12. Discuss each of the ‘bubbles’ on the previous slide.
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
Time: 15 mins
Discuss each of the ‘bubbles’ on the previous slide.
Try to think of an example to illustrate each one.
Refer to practical experience where possible.
Teacher notes:
Learners should discuss each point in detail.
You could ask learners to list the points in order of how important they think they are.
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13. What might life in hospital have been like before play specialists?
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.2]
Time: 15 mins
Using your research notes, write an explanation of the role of the play specialist.
What might life in hospital have been like before play specialists?
How do you think children felt before their parents were allowed to stay in hospital with them?
How can play meet the needs of children who are ill?
Which theorists can you refer to and why?
Teacher notes:
This is an expansion of the research learners will have done on the role of the play specialist.
Learners could also consider what life was like before the changes in children’s wards were made.
Theorists they could refer to are John Bowlby and James Robertson.
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14. Choose a book and consider how you would use it.
LO7 Understand how to support children for hospital admission [AC 7.1, 7.2]
Time: 15 mins
Research children’s books aimed at preparing children for a hospital stay and the use of Persona dolls in supporting their recovery.
Choose a book and consider how you would use it.
Ask if there are any Persona dolls at your setting – consider how you would use them.
Teacher notes:
Learners should familiarise themselves with the resources available.
Suggest to learners that they try searching on Amazon for books about hospital stays.
Useful resources:
Story books for children about hospital
List of some story books about hospital visits
Books on hospitals and operations
Monkey goes to hospital Storybook Series
Harry goes to Hospital – ebook
Persona Dolls
Website looking at the use of Persona dolls
Video showing use of a Persona doll in an early years setting
Persona doll website showing the range of persona dolls with images
Website giving advice on how to use Persona dolls with story-telling ideas
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15. Have planned our own activity.
In this lesson we:
Have learnt that the practitioner should consult with the parents at all times.
Have discussed the various activities that a practitioner can plan to help prepare a child for a hospital stay.
Have planned our own activity.
Have considered the effects of inappropriate activities.
Have reviewed the importance of play and researched the role of the play specialist.
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16. Design a booklet for a child to prepare them for hospital.
Identify the age of the child.
Your booklet should have information and activities in it.
It should inform and reassure the child.
Useful resources:
Little Hearts Matter website – downloadable booklet entitled ‘Preparation for Hospital’ in the DVDs section
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