Music Therapy at John Hunter Children's Hospital

Music Therapy as a complementary program is a great mechanism of self-expression and emotional release.  Engaging in these creative processes helps patients explore alternative languages beyond illness and greatly assists their recovery.

A Music Therapy Program in the hospital setting is delivered by a Registered Music Therapist.  This professional is a proficient musician who has a broad knowledge and understanding of music.  The Music Therapist is a qualified therapist whose training has included the applications of music therapy and substantial clinical training in a variety of settings.  Registered Music Therapists have successfully completed an undergraduate music (therapy) degree or post-graduate music (therapy) degree or post-graduate music therapy diploma and may have additional qualifications.
Music Therapy programs involve a range of musical applications including: instrument playing, singing/vocalising, composition, song/lyric writing, music and movement, listening, improvisation and performance. 

The Music Therapist draws on a variety of therapeutic processes including psychology, physiology, social/behaviour sciences and human development to address a variety of objectives. These could include: socialisation, communication, relaxation, stimulation, pain or stress management, emotional expression or coping, self-esteem, motivation, independence, physical and motor skills and cognitive skills.

Benefits of Music Therapy

Music provides a diversion from the hospital environment and can help with stress, anxiety and pain relief.  Music is also a form of communication and expression which can be helpful when exploring thoughts and feelings about being sick.

Familiar songs and making music is a fantastic vehicle for helping children feel "at home" during their stay in hospital.  Time after time, smiles return to children's faces as they eagerly explore keyboards, drums, guitars, and other percussion instruments, and let their imaginations go wild.  The hospital environment seems to fade into the background.  Often, relieved parents take pictures of their child's "old self" returning.

For more seriously ill children, soothing guitar music and simple relaxation techniques help reduce discomfort and pain.  During these times, children often say they don't hurt anymore.  After one of these experiences recently, a nurse commented that the music was "better than morphine".  Other nurses have commented that the music is so relaxing; they could listen to it all day.

How does a patient participate in Music Therapy?

Patients can let the nursing staff know they would like to participate in Music Therapy.

When contacted, the Music Therapist will visit the patient in their room.

Music Therapists work from Monday - Thursday.

Play Therapy

Play is a child's way of exploring, learning and discovering their world, it is the people they encounter, the environment, the language used with and around them. By providing opportunities for children to do this in a natural way during hospitalisation they are able to communicate more effectively with medical, nursing and allied health staff that allows them to receive effective treatment as their anxiety is lowered.

Play in hospital can be broken down into four areas:

• Activities for recreation and wellbeing.
• Medical Play - role playing enables children to gain information, such as learn correct names for equipment/procedures and gain an understanding of how these are carried out, which eliminates misconceptions and dispels fear of the unknown.
• Therapeutic Play - assists your child through play to achieve daily tasks, such as blowing bubbles to slow down their breathing or take bigger, deeper breathes.
• Diversion - play by using tactile experiences to move the focus of attention away from the medical procedure, for example, reading a pop-up story book to decrease associated pain.

Play Therapy on the Wards

Activities for recreation and wellbeing are provided by a play specialist to decrease children's anxiety and fear around hospitals and hospitalisation, with toy's that are age stage appropriate for the child.

The varying types of activities may include construction with Lego or magnetic blocks, art through paper painting or plaster mould painting and craft experiences that may include paddle pop construction, decorating cut out shapes or creating your own shapes.

Additional activities may target fine motor skills through jigsaws and puzzles. Dramatic play includes the use of tea sets and Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine and My Little Pony play sets. To stimulate sensory awareness children may use play dough or lullaby activity centres for cots (these are also great for use as a fine motor or therapeutic activity).  

How can I participate in Play Therapy?

1. Prepare in advance of your child coming to hospital. If possible a visit to the hospital prior to admission with no other purpose than to become familiar with the environment. Answer any questions your child has honestly and truthfully to increase their trust and knowledge.
2. Bring with your child their favourite cuddly and/or sleep toys and their favourite pyjamas.
3. Bring with you a favourite activity from home.
4. Make up a small photo album of your child with family, friends and pets who are engaged in their daily life.
5. Space out visitors so your child is able to see familiar faces regularly.
6. Let your child assist in packing their bag for hospital and talk with them during the process about the visit.
7. If possible plan a family activity for after their hospital visit (this does not mean it has to be the same or next day following discharge) such as a trip to the park.

Art Therapy at John Hunter Children's Hospital

"Art as Therapy" is the art program at John Hunter Children's Hospital designed to address the total well-being of the child or adolescent while in hospital. Activities are designed for individual patients, which may be undertaken at their bedside or in a group context with other young patients. These sessions are primarily for enjoyment, exploration and stimulation.

Art therapy is an outlet or opportunity for self-expression and creative endeavour during their stay in hospital.

Feedback from patients about the program has always been extremely positive and also appears to provide an uplifting topic for patients and family members to discuss. Parents have also been included in the program at different times to help with stress management.

Benefits of Art Therapy

Art therapy provides a distraction that allows patients to think of something positive instead of their health for a time and it gives them something they can control. Creative projects are designed to have a successful outcome for the patients and consequently enhance their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Many of the children's art works are on display in the wards. This is a rewarding experience for the children suffering from chronic illness who are regularly admitted to the hospital.

Art therapy also provides an opportunity for the young person to be viewed holistically and not only as a patient. It can also be utilised as a means for patients to express how they are feeling about their particular illness or to visualise their level of recovery or discomfort.

How does a patient participate in Art Therapy?

Art Therapy operates Tuesday and Thursday.

On each of these days the Art Therapist visits the wards and asks patients if they would like to participate.

The Art Therapist also accepts referrals from clinicians.