Medical Play Dolls
The Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department frequently uses medical play dolls during medical play, while preparing children for procedures, and when familiarizing them with the healthcare environment.
How medical play dolls are used
Creating and personalizing a blank, stuffed, body-shaped doll is a pleasurable and expressive activity for children that is used by the hospital staff in many ways. Children decorate the dolls with non-toxic permanent markers to personalize them. The dolls then become a part of the treatment process and children take them home when they are discharged.
Medical play dolls:
- Help staff develop a rapport with children.
- Help children relax in the hospital environment.
- Help children prepare for and cope with their treatment process. The doll can be used to show where an injection will be given or what posture or body position is desired.
- Help staff assess children's perceptions and feelings. Talking about the doll helps children explore concerns in a non-threatening way.
- Provide a wonderful source of comfort for children.
How you can make medical play dolls
If you would like to make medical play dolls for Children's Hospital patients, you can download and print the pattern and instructions or obtain a pattern by contacting the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy department 215-590-2001 or e-mail childlife@email.chop.edu.
(This information is extracted from Psychosocial Care of Children in Hospitals: A Clinical Practice Manual from the ACCH Child Life Research Project, Appendix E: "Personalized Hospital Dolls", Gaynard, Wolfer, Goldberger, Thompson, Redburn, Laidley, 1990, Association for the Care of Children's Health, Bethesda, MD.)
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