Katie Taylor, CCLS Child Life On Call for SmileMakers Inc.

Medical play helps children feel safe and comfortable while at the hospital. In fact, research conducted at a US children's hospital looked at the impact of pre-operative medical play with more than 50 children undergoing a surgical procedure and found that the children who engaged in medical play in a group setting had a statistically significant decrease in anxiety than children in the control group. (Jones, et. al., 2020).

 When a child is hospitalized, siblings may experience a range of emotions. They may be scared, worried, or confused about what is   happening. While the adults around them may be talking about what is happening, they may only hear bits and pieces of information   which lead to more confusion.

 Siblings may see pictures of their hospitalized brother or sister and not understand the equipment that can be attached to their sibling.   During FaceTime calls, they might hear and see things that are hard to understand like tubes, machines, or doctors talking.

 They may also have changes in their usual routine, like going to school or seeing friends. Some children may even be separated from   their parents and other family members which can cause added stress. There are many different ways to help children deal with   hospitalization, and using medical play dolls, like the ones from SmileMakers, is a great way to open up communication between a child   life specialist and the siblings of patients.

Here are some activities to do with siblings and medical play dolls:

1. Strengthen the sibling bond.

Depending on the age of the hospitalized patient, school-age and older patients can pick a doll to send home to their sibling. One way to strengthen their bond, despite being separated, is to offer an opportunity for the patient to get creative when picking the doll and decorating it. Do they want to draw on the doll to make it look like their sibling? Do they want to color it with the sibling's favorite color? You can also use this opportunity to send a doll home for the sibling to decorate for the hospitalized patient.

2. Identify misconceptions.

A doll with a blank slate and fabric markers is a great way to open up a conversation about what a child understands. When you start learning about what the child understands, you have an opportunity to correct information that may not be accurate and validate the information that is correct.

3. Education and explanation.

Medical play is an important part of any child's development. It helps them understand and explore the world around them. Using a doll and medical supplies is a great way for siblings to learn about what is happening in the hospital setting. The play can be directed or non-directed, depending on your assessment and the child's interest in participation.

4. Opportunity for expression. 

Because play is child-led, medical play with a doll is no different. You may find that the intervention was planned to provide education, but the sibling you're working with may have other ideas. You may find that a creative outlet with the doll is exactly what the child needs to feel comfortable and fulfilled. Don't be surprised if the child you're working with starts drawing fireballs on the doll (this may or may not be from personal experience