Tower Hamlets Kids Prepare For Medical And Dental Treatment At The Teddy Bear Hospital
Children from Tower Hamlets,London, have been preparing to have medical and dental treatment by visiting the Teddy Bear Hospital. The project is designed to reduce anxiety and prevent children from feeling nervous and scared when they go to the doctor or dentist or visit the hospital.
The Teddy Bear Hospital scheme aims to show children that having treatment does not have to be scary and prepare them for when they have to have injections or tests, dental treatment or overnight stays in hospital. The project is run by undergraduate dental and medical students at Queen Mary, University of London. For many children going to the dentist or being in hospital is terrifying and this scheme helps to reassure them and prepare them for what will happen if they do need to have dental treatment or go into hospital.
The scheme involves children bringing their teddy bears and soft toys to the Teddy Bear Hospital. They are encouraged to engage in role play, to answer questions about different procedures and treatments and to see how things work at the hospital. The teddy bears undergo many different procedures and the idea is to get children involved and make the experience interactive, so that kids are learning, but also realising that hospital is not a scary place.
The student team visits schools in Tower Hamlets every fortnight and the children are encouraged to bring their teddy bears to see a dentist or a doctor. The students are able to give advice, answer questions and perform mock procedures and the scheme is also a great way for them to develop their communication skills and learn how to work with and care for children.
The team is also organising a ‘safety day’, which aims to focus on safety in the home, playground and the roads; the event will take place from 12.30 pm on the 24th April at the university’s Whitechapel campus.
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