Child patients encouraged to play at hospital

Thirteen-month-old Lennon gets special play sessions to improve the use of his right arm and leg after he suffered a stroke

Young patients at a Norfolk hospital are being helped to play to aid their treatment and recovery.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn has dedicated play specialists as well as paediatric physiotherapists.

The aim is to make sure children staying in hospital do not fall behind their peers and to reduce the stress of a ward admission.

They also use play to teach children what to expect from an operation or treatment to reduce anxiety.

Clemmie Halligey is a child physiotherapist working on the Rudham ward, which has a dedicated play area

Clemmie Halligey, a paediatric physiotherapist, said: "For these children who are poorly they still need those opportunities to play and just because they are unwell doesn't mean they should miss out.

"It's really important that they get the opportunities to have that play time and to develop in the way that other children do outside of the hospital."

One of those benefiting from the play therapy is Lennon, who is 13-months-old.

A stroke has damaged the nerves on the right side of his body meaning he has some weakness in his right arm and leg.

He also has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

His mum Ellie says he does not even realise he is doing his physio exercises when he comes to play on the Rudham ward.

"We noticed that he was weak on one side," she said. "Then he had an MRI scan to confirm it.

"But he's improving every day.

"He wears a cast on his left arm to encourage him to use the right one when he plays."

She says now it is difficult to see which side is Lennon's weaker one because he is recovering so well.

As well as twice-weekly appointments the team at the QEH have been able to put Ellie in touch with other support groups for parents who have children with health issues and they have visited the family at home.

Play specialist Nicola Wright says creating a less-clinical environment for children is really important

Play specialist Nicola Wright says getting children ready for operations is an important part of the job.

"We'll go through the theatre story book in a way that they can understand so they aren't scared when they go to theatre," she said.

"We'll even support them when they are in the anaesthetic room with toys and bubbles and books to hopefully make it a bit more of a positive experience."

On the ward children are encouraged to use the play room or take toys back to their beds.

Anything that takes the focus off their illness and on to having fun.

Ms Wright said: "Recently we've had some children who were actually crying because they didn't want to go home.

"That shows you're doing a good job."