Going to the hospital can be scary at any age.

It can be exceptionally frightening for children, especially if theyB次元官网网址檙e in pain, which is often the case when visiting the emergency room.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 why a Peace Arch Hospital doctor teamed up with a puppeteer and ventriloquist to create videos about several common procedures that a young patient might experience when they come to the ER.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about trying to make the ER less scary for kids,B次元官网网址� said Dr. Amir Behboudi, an emergency room doctor at Peace Arch Hospital.

B次元官网网址淲e want to decrease childrenB次元官网网址檚 anxiety when they come to the hospital.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 something Behboudi has been wanting to do for several years. When his own young son had to go to Surrey Memorial hospital with a face infection, a child life specialist used distraction techniques to administer his IV, or intravenous line.

After witnessing his sonB次元官网网址檚 positive response, Behboudi knew he wanted, more than ever, to do something, but funding wasnB次元官网网址檛 available for child life specialists at Peace Arch Hospital.

However, he managed to find some funding through Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and, in collaboration with Child Life at BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital and Tsz Shing (Brandon) Ng, a UBC medical student, B次元官网网址渨e teamed up to discuss what common scenarios that come up in the ER.B次元官网网址�

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He then garnered the help of Kellie Haines B次元官网网址� a puppeteer and ventriloquist he and his wife have known for years B次元官网网址� and Beyond Your Eye Productions to create videos about six common ER scenarios: X-ray, ultrasound, blood draw, CT scans, starting an IV and procedural sedation.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted it to be colourful and we wanted it to be action-oriented, so children can see whatB次元官网网址檚 going on,B次元官网网址� Haines said.

The video series B次元官网网址� entitled B次元官网网址淢agrau and Kellie and the HospitalB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� features Haines with one of her puppets, a large and rather absent-minded bird named Magrau.

B次元官网网址淭he videos are intended to help kids feel less scared at the hospital, and to educate the child B次元官网网址� and their caregiver(s) B次元官网网址� and get them prepared for what theyB次元官网网址檙e about to do,B次元官网网址� Haines said.

In the videos, Magrau and Kellie, with the help of Peace Arch Hospital medical staff, talk about whatB次元官网网址檚 about to happen, and physically show each step of every procedure, such as the gel being applied to the ultrasound scanner before the doctor uses it on MagrauB次元官网网址檚 stomach, or how weighted blankets might be used when undergoing a CT scan.

They share little jokes and gags to help make viewers laugh while also explaining everything technical in an easy-to-understand way.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 to alleviate their stress and redirect them B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a way for them to see whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen and makes it less scary. If a bird with bright orange legs can do it, then it must not be so scary,B次元官网网址� she said.

Behboudi and Haines note the videos and posters B次元官网网址� colourful images with QR codes featuring Magrau and Kellie are posted throughout the Peace Arch Hospital ER B次元官网网址� are free for any hospitals to use or post on their own walls.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 free for anyone, definitely,B次元官网网址� Behboudi said, noting the posters with the QR codes are easy to use.

B次元官网网址淜ids come in and theyB次元官网网址檙e in pain and scaredB次元官网网址� then weB次元官网网址檒l show the Mom or Dad or caregiver the poster(s) and they use their own devices (such as smart phones or tablets) to scan the code and access the video,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hen you see them both getting engaged as they watch B次元官网网址� it helps calm both the parents and the kids.B次元官网网址�

Peace Arch Hospital Foundation executive director Stephanie Beck noted the funding was secured through a grant.

B次元官网网址淭his innovative project was funded through our Peace Arch Hospital and Fraser Health Community Grant stream,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淕rants of this kind aim to support employees of Peace Arch Hospital and Fraser Health Authority who work in White Rock and South Surrey, helping them to enhance patient care or assisting them in funding equipment, projects, or renovations that are not typically funded by Fraser Health.B次元官网网址�

To access the posters and videos, visit their .

tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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