Child Life: How Innovative Technology helps calm fears

Nevin Jamason with Kristy Rowe and her iPad.

Although 9-year-old Tori Webster of Beavercreek has been through imaging tests at Dayton Children’s several times, she still gets nervous when another one is scheduled. So, having butterflies before her most recent test on April 28 was not unusual, but there was one thing Tori did look forward to—playing iCarly on the iPad with one of Dayton Children’s child life specialists.

“The iPad is great, because I not only use it to help distract kids during uncomfortable tests, but I can also use it to educate them about the procedure,” says Kristy Rowe, a child life specialist at Dayton Children’s. Before obtaining an iPad Kristy had to carry around a rather large amount of items. “ Before if I was working with a patient and the distraction item wasn’t working I would have to stop and change the DVD, CD, game or toy but now with the iPad all I have to do is tap on the screen a few times and I have another item to use for distraction.” Kristy regularly helps patients through tests in medical imaging such as the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) that is used to study the bladder.

“Kristy is so kind and compassionate,” says Tori’s mother Michele Webster. “Tori got to play iCarly throughout the 30-minute procedure.”

Taking the mystery out of tests, treatments

The child life department at Dayton Children’s has two new pieces of equipment used specifically to take the mystery out of a treatment or test, but also to provide entertaining distraction. Apple’s iPad is used to help visually explain medical procedures to patients and families as well as to distract kids with their favorite games such as Angry Birds or visit fun sites like iCarly.

The second device, the Sensory Rover distraction unit, allows Kristy or other child life staff to perform a fiber optic light show to soothing music while toy fish and bubbles travel up and down large water-filled tubes. A moving image is projected onto the ceiling. “Rover,” as this mobile unit is called, can go wherever it is needed.

“The hospital can be unfamiliar or scary for some kids,” says Kristy. “Their routine is interrupted and they may feel they don’t have many choices. When a child is in the hospital a long time, all these things may cause their behavior to regress.”

Nevin Jamason is one such child. The 6-year-old is frequently hospitalized in Dayton Children’s hematology/oncology unit.

Nevin’s nurses have been thrilled to see the difference the iPad has made for Nevin. “Things Nevin used to do for us before such as eat his food, take his medicine and do treatments became difficult for him,” says Beth Gingrich, RN, hematology/oncology. “We had set up a reward system, but needed a reward that was new and exciting. That’s where Kristy and her iPad came in. It’s been a great reward for Nevin, and he really looks forward to seeing Kristy bring in the iPad,” she adds.

Kristy remembers the first time Nevin saw her iPad. “He was immediately intrigued by it and all the things it could do. Since then I have been using it with him to reinforce positive behaviors,” Kristy says. “He loves listening to Grover from Sesame Street read an interactive story, plays the ‘Tom the Cat’ app and watches Justin Bieber music videos.”

No matter where a child is receiving care in the hospital, there are child life staff on hand to provide education, entertainment or both to help ease fears and build trust. Dayton Children’s is the only facility in the region with a team of child life specialists who bring therapeutic play to a child’s hospital experience. And that makes a difference to kids and their parents.

Take it from someone who knows: “I liked watching iCarly during my testing because it distracts me from what is going on,” says 9-year-old Tori. “I think other children would also enjoy using the iPad and Kristy is very nice.”

Kristy Rowe, child life, uses fiber optics on the Sensory Rover as distraction during a long test.

More about child life

The child life specialists at Dayton Children’s work with children and their families to ease the stress of hospitalization and outpatient testing through therapeutic play activities and education of procedures. With special training in child development, child life specialists know how to meet the emotional and psychosocial needs of children and to communicate in a way that builds trust and understanding. Through play activities, children are encouraged to share their fears, frustration and anger in a nonthreatening setting. Dayton Children’s also offers play areas designed and equipped to help child life provide opportunities for physical, emotional, social and intellectual skills development.