Educational dolls in the pediatric intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital
At the Brussels Children’s Hospital (HUDERF), an innovative tool has been introduced in the pediatric intensive care unit: educational dolls, designed to make medical procedures more accessible and less intimidating for young patients.
A Tool to Ease Fears
Used by nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, and psychologists, these dolls are at the heart of a multidisciplinary project in which every professional plays an active role in reassuring children and helping them understand their care. This initiative, supported by the Kids Care association, has enabled the development of essential educational tools to improve the care experience for children.
By creating a safe and understandable environment, these dolls help children better adapt to their situation, which directly impacts their ability to engage in hospital-based learning
A Collaborative Project for Reassuring Care
These dolls are far more than simple objects; they represent a collaborative effort where healthcare professionals come together to provide psychological and educational support to young patients. By visually illustrating complex interventions such as tracheotomy, gastrostomy, or intubation, the dolls make medical care more approachable for children.
By fostering a safe and comprehensible environment, the educational dolls enable children to adjust more easily to their circumstances, which has a direct positive effect on their ability to participate in hospital-based education. Every member of the team uses these tools to engage the child in their care journey, offering tailored support.
For several years, HUDERF has used Kiwanis dolls to familiarize children with certain procedures. The new educational dolls complement this approach, enabling a more personalized and needs-specific care experience for each patient.
A tool to foster treatment acceptance
These dolls go beyond mere medical explanations. They help children better accept their treatment by integrating them into their own care journey. Whether preparing siblings for hospital visits, addressing a child’s body image, or aiding in the acceptance of medical devices, the dolls encourage children to envision their medical reality.
Identification plays a critical role here: seeing a doll that resembles them helps children ease their fears and embrace the changes their bodies are undergoing. Designed to reflect diverse health conditions, these dolls provide young patients with a tangible and reassuring experience where every step of their care can be understood and processed.
A psycho-educational tool for an inclusive approach
Educational dolls embody a human-centered and inclusive approach to care, encouraging family involvement and fostering children’s acceptance of treatments. They offer numerous benefits, including:
- Preparing for and explaining visits: Helping siblings understand the medical reality of their loved one.
- Addressing body image: Supporting children and their parents in accepting physical changes due to treatment.
- Acceptance of medical devices: Allowing children and parents to interact with the dolls helps demystify medical devices and make them less intimidating.
- Simplifying procedures: Making medical care more accessible and easier to understand, promoting acceptance among young patients.
- Identification and projection: Seeing their own situation reflected in the dolls helps children better understand their medical journey.
Engaging parents as partners in care
These dolls also highlight the crucial role of parents as partners in their child’s care. By involving parents, healthcare teams acknowledge their expertise and adapt care to meet the specific needs of each child. As active partners, parents provide valuable insights that contribute to improved treatment adherence and reduced anxiety for the child.
To support the pediatric intensive care unit at HUDERF:
Friends of HUDERF Fund at the King Baudouin Foundation
BE10 0000 0000 0404 with the structured communication
+++ 623/3924/30080 +++
