On several occasions we have talked about the importance of psychological well-being for the recovery of a patient, especially children. That is why we commend the initiatives that intend to entertain the small hospitalized by making their stay in the hospital more bearable. A group of Greek researchers have proven that Puppet theater reduces the stress of children who are going to be operated.
And it is that any operation causes different levels of anxiety, especially in the smallest. The theater and puppets are often used to entertain hospitalized children. The effectiveness of these resources in an investigation has now been proven.
The study analyzed the behavior of more than 90 children between 4 and 10 years who were going to undergo surgery. In the puppet theater session, they were explained what was going to happen during the operation and during their hospital stay, encouraging them to raise all their doubts.
The results have been quite encouraging, as a positive effect was seen in pre and postoperative anxiety and in the behavior of children in general.
In the postoperative period, these children were found to have lower levels of stress and hyperactivity. This is because the little ones are more psychologically prepared to face a situation like this, and they have been explained simply and playfully. Thus, surgical interventions can be assimilated constructively and children are more resistant to emotional and behavioral changes after puppet sessions.
The results were published recently in the journal "Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics", and show that not only does medical care matter but also, and much, emotional. Something that surely many who have passed through the hospital will have missed.
