Going to the hospital can be scary at any age.

It can be exceptionally frightening for children, especially if they91裸聊视频檙e in pain, which is often the case when visiting the emergency room.

That91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about trying to make the ER less scary for kids,91裸聊视频� said Dr. Amir Behboudi, an emergency room doctor at Peace Arch Hospital.

91裸聊视频淲e want to decrease children91裸聊视频檚 anxiety when they come to the hospital.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 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 son91裸聊视频檚 positive response, Behboudi knew he wanted, more than ever, to do something, but funding wasn91裸聊视频檛 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 Children91裸聊视频檚 Hospital and Tsz Shing (Brandon) Ng, a UBC medical student, 91裸聊视频渨e teamed up to discuss what common scenarios that come up in the ER.91裸聊视频�

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He then garnered the help of Kellie Haines 91裸聊视频� a puppeteer and ventriloquist he and his wife have known for years 91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淲e wanted it to be colourful and we wanted it to be action-oriented, so children can see what91裸聊视频檚 going on,91裸聊视频� Haines said.

The video series 91裸聊视频� entitled 91裸聊视频淢agrau and Kellie and the Hospital91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� features Haines with one of her puppets, a large and rather absent-minded bird named Magrau.

91裸聊视频淭he videos are intended to help kids feel less scared at the hospital, and to educate the child 91裸聊视频� and their caregiver(s) 91裸聊视频� and get them prepared for what they91裸聊视频檙e about to do,91裸聊视频� Haines said.

In the videos, Magrau and Kellie, with the help of Peace Arch Hospital medical staff, talk about what91裸聊视频檚 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 Magrau91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 to alleviate their stress and redirect them 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 a way for them to see what91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� she said.

Behboudi and Haines note the videos and posters 91裸聊视频� colourful images with QR codes featuring Magrau and Kellie are posted throughout the Peace Arch Hospital ER 91裸聊视频� are free for any hospitals to use or post on their own walls.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 free for anyone, definitely,91裸聊视频� Behboudi said, noting the posters with the QR codes are easy to use.

91裸聊视频淜ids come in and they91裸聊视频檙e in pain and scared91裸聊视频� then we91裸聊视频檒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,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淭hen you see them both getting engaged as they watch 91裸聊视频� it helps calm both the parents and the kids.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淭his innovative project was funded through our Peace Arch Hospital and Fraser Health Community Grant stream,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淕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.91裸聊视频�

To access the posters and videos, visit their .

tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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