Puppets as a strategy for communication with Brazilian children with cancer

Abstract

Children are considered competent social actors. Although they are able to express their opinions, they may have some difficulties in answering direct verbal questions, requiring researchers and health professionals to enter their world by using auxiliary resources for communication. This study presents the experience of using finger puppets as a playful strategy for improving interaction and communication with hospitalized children with cancer, aged seven to 12. It describes the strategy of making and using puppets as an auxiliary tool to communicate with children with cancer and presents the results and limitations of using puppets in clinical practice. The use of the puppets, creatively and in accordance with the children's motor, cognitive, and emotional development, showed benefits, such as allowing the children to freely express themselves; respecting their autonomy; and minimizing the hierarchical adult-child relationship. The use of puppets is an appropriate strategy to communicate with hospitalized children. This tool can also enrich clinical practice, as it encourages children with cancer to report their experience of being ill and also helps the health team during evaluation and intervention.

The Effectiveness of Dramatic Puppet and Therapeutic Play in Anxiety Reduction in Children Undergoing Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…Studies demonstrated puppet therapy as creative intervention and an appropriate strategy to communicate with hospitalized children that is in accordance with the motor, cognitive, and emotional development of child; it influences emotional response in the child undergoing surgery and gives him/her the opportunity to feel closer and more comfortable and minimize the hierarchical status in adultchild relationship; it also provides this opportunity to respect the autonomy of child. This kind of therapy helps children learn how to overcome and control negative emotions such as fear and anxiety and experience a manageable amount of fear; it also has a positive effect on child's responses and willingness about later medical care (14,27,28).…”

“…Another study has revealed the use of puppets as a strategy and tool for communication with children suffering from cancer can help enrich clinical practice, encourage ill children to report their experience, and assist health team for evaluation and intervention in clinical practice (28).…”

“…It provides the opportunity for children to express their concerns and fear of abandonment, punishment, and the feeling of helplessness; puppets also help children cope with illness, hospitalization and surgery, and encourage them to learn through playing and participating in teaching strategies to promote their health. Moreover, puppet as an auxiliary tool can be used in research on children to demonstrate intended intervention; playing with puppets before surgery can be employed as an effective strategy to reduce anxiety in children undergoing surgery (25)(26)(27)(28).…”

“…On the other hand, using puppets and toys provides this chance and opportunity for professinals to better understand the child's feelings and reactions to the events and makes a closer relationship between the child and professional team (28).…”

Oficina educativa sobre monitorização glicêmica para crianças escolares com diabetes mellitus tipo 1

“…Existem vários estudos quantitativos e qualitativos que utilizam o brinquedo como instrumento para coleta de dados e outros, como estratégia de intervenção em saúde (57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63) .…”