Once the medicine goes down, a healthy dose of cheerful decor may be as beneficial to a sick child as TLC.
A pleasant environment with comforting touches aids recovery by boosting spirits. It also alleviates some of the glumness that otherwise occurs from convalescing in a static setting.
It doesn’t take much to provide uplifting scenery. Effective changes that combat melancholy can be as simple as greeting cards strung around the room or as detailed as a banner printed on computer paper with “Get Well” written in many languages.
Health-care studies have identified surroundings as an important factor in the recovery process. Findings show that sick, injured or otherwise disabled children are affected more strongly by environment than are their healthy peers. In other words, a setting with interesting things to see, hear and touch makes those bedridden feel better, whether they are recuperating from the sniffles or something more serious, such as surgery.
Trying to reduce the normal stress of illness is not the only challenge faced by parents of sick children. They also must cope with kids’ psychosocial stress of missing school or events, such as games or field trips.
Whatever a parent can do at home to minimize stress is worthwhile, says Bellevue, Wash., pediatrician Don Shifrin, as long as it doesn’t overstimulate a child who needs rest only. As president of the Washington state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, he advises parents to carefully evaluate sick children before engaging them in projects that are too taxing, such as a complicated puzzle or computer game.
A spoonful of spirit
Part of the caregiver’s job is chasing the blues away. Decoration can do that.
For starters, zero in on the bedroom door. Hang a homemade sign on the knob that says something lighthearted, such as “Knock twice and say the password.”
Because the ceiling commands the gaze of those flat on their backs, target creative efforts there too. Trace cookie cutters to make shapes for mobiles. Hang glow-in-the-dark stars or posters within viewing range.
As the center of attention, the bed can be a focal point for special effects that don’t interfere with rest. Once a child is on the mend, you can twist paper chains or hang balloons around the bed posts. If your child is very young, however, be sure the balloons are Mylar instead of ones that could pop and pose a choking danger.
Don’t overlook the window. A prism hung where light strikes it serves as a visual diversion on a sunny day. Strings of tiny lights also provide some amusement.
With a lengthy illness, an aquarium also can be a good idea. A small bowl of goldfish can pique interest too.
Relaxing music soothes a child and creates a calming atmosphere. Taped books narrated by favorite personalities–or Mom and Dad–can provide relief.
Beyond chicken soup
Whether you’re serving broth, juice or other fare, making a bland menu look attractive whets a patient’s appetite. That’s why decorating a meal tray is so important.
If you don’t own a tray, be inventive. Cover a cookie sheet with fancy cloth napkins or drape a towel over a medium-size box cut with hand openings in the sides.
Peel-off lettering or decorative stickers of favorite characters are ways to enliven a tray of food. A small vase with flowers and a wrapped trinket are presentation pick-me-ups.
Others include toy boats or dump trucks filled with fruit or individual cereal boxes, and paper doilies or place mats made from the comics or an outdated calendar.
TV trays can come to the rescue if bedside table space is limited. Or break out the ironing board, cover it with a cloth and adjust it next to the bed as a temporary spot for an insulated mug, books and whatnots.
Bedside perks
Propping up pillows, surrounding the patient with stuffed animals and serving comfort food such as chicken soup top the pampering list, but other measures also matter.
“Structure the environment so a sick child can do as much as possible for himself,” advises parenting teacher Karen Joslin, author of “Positive Parenting from A to Z” (Fawcett/Columbine, $12.50).
Tailoring a sick room so it functions from a central spot is easy to accomplish with a few household items. A small tote bag or bucket can corral some essentials. So can a hanging organizer with pockets that house everything from a flashlight to a bell for summoning help.
Kitchen tongs can come in handy to pick up what drops on the floor. If they won’t fit on your child’s bedside table, hang them on a bedpost with nylon cord. Other boons to the bedridden are a walkie-talkie or monitor like the kind designed for a newborn’s room. They reassure an older child that Mom and Dad are within earshot even when out of sight.
Keep a pad or clipboard nearby. While the patient dozes, jot down a message for wake-up time. Paper and markers encourage a sick child’s own thoughts and artistry.
Send in the clowns
Being sick often is scary for a young person who can’t comprehend what’s happening. To reduce anxiety, inject humor into the room–unless the illness dictates otherwise.
“If you make the whole environment happier and funnier, it eases your child’s fears, whether they’re home for a day or a month,” says mother of two Annie Gilbar, who learned through the years that laughter is the best medicine for kids. To help others provide comic relief for kids, she compiled a list of children’s favorite books and videos. It’s featured in “The Penny Whistle Sick-in-Bed Book” (Simon & Schuster, $12), a delightful activities/advice/recipe book concocted by Gilbar and another mother, former teacher Meredith Brokaw, wife of NBC-TV anchorman Tom Brokaw.
Years ago during childhood sickness, light touches in the Gilbar home were makeshift tents. They were created by their oldest child during her grade-school days.
“From morning to night, Lisa could be found stretching sheets over chairs, beds, bookcases, tables,” her mother recalls. With sleeping bag and pillow in tow, the little girl would move into the tent for meals, reading and visitors. Looking back, the 19-year-old now remembers that even medicine wasn’t quite so awful when taken in her tent.
Humor aside, a get-well station beyond the bedroom often cures feelings of isolation. For example, the family room sofa is far more enticing than the bed when pillows and blankets are provided, not to mention the company of family members, pets and whoever is on television. Roll up a cart with supplies, and being sick seems much less ominous.
As long as the secondary infirmary is cozy, it’s OK for a child to convalesce there, Shifrin says. “The key factor is rest, no matter where in the house it takes place.”
An environment for sick children profoundly affects their attitude, behavior and feelings. Make your personal wellness clinic cheerful and help combat the “woe-is-me” blues.
As for therapeutic effects of a space designed with health in mind, the motto of the Association for the Care of Children’s Health says it best: “Kids Need More Than Medicine to Get Well.”
