Teddy Hospital- Desensitization approach
The Teddy Hospital approach is a fun, engaging, and therapeutic way to help children and young people with learning disabilities or other needs, prepare for medical visits and reduce anxiety around medical procedures. The basic concept is to create a playful, less intimidating environment by turning the experience into a pretend play scenario where a stuffed animal (often a teddy bear) “goes to the hospital” for check-ups, treatments, or procedures. This method helps familiarize the person with what will happen and reduces fear or anxiety.
Benefits of the Teddy Hospital Approach:
- Reduces Anxiety: By turning the hospital visit into a game, the person learns to associate it with comfort and familiarity rather than fear.
- Builds Confidence: It provides an opportunity to build confidence before the real visit and allows the person to practice coping strategies in a safe, controlled setting.
- Engagement and Learning: Using play to simulate real-life experiences is a non-threatening way to learn and adapt to new environments.
- Empathy and Control: It encourages the person to feel more in control and more empathetic towards the medical process, as they help the teddy through it.
Here’s how you can implement the Teddy Hospital approach:
| Preparation Phase | • Start by explaining that a teddy bear or stuffed animal is going to visit the “hospital” for a check-up, just like they will. You can use a simple story or social story to introduce the concept, explaining that the teddy might need a check-up, just like the child/young person might need when they visit the hospital. • Gather some medical equipment or props to make the experience more realistic (e.g., bandages, stethoscope, toy syringes, thermometers). These props can be used to examine the teddy. |
| Role-Playing the Hospital Visit | Create a “Hospital” Environment: Set up a space in your home, classroom, or therapy area that represents the hospital. You can use a table or a blanket on the floor to act as a hospital bed. Create signs, posters, or labels for fun, making the space feel more official but still comfortable. • Play doctor or nurse. Use the props to “examine” the teddy bear, just as the child/young person would be examined in the hospital. Show the child/young person how the equipment works and explain how each part of the check-up helps the teddy stay healthy. • Depending on the procedures the child/young person may face at the hospital (e.g., taking blood pressure, getting a shot, or using an IV), demonstrate these procedures on the teddy. If needed, use real-world objects like a toy stethoscope or even a simple bandage to mimic what they might experience. • Use a toy syringe to “give the teddy a injection” or a toy thermometer to show how to take the teddy’s temperature. |
| Modelling Positive Reactions | • Demonstrate calm and positive reactions to the teddy’s experience. Encourage the child/young to “help” the teddy feel better or go through the check-up process. • After each step of the exam or treatment, praise the teddy bear for being brave and encourage the person to be brave too. This can help foster a positive attitude toward the visit. |
| Use the Teddy to Teach Coping Skills | • If the child/young person has specific anxieties about certain parts of the hospital visit (like getting a shot or wearing a hospital gown), incorporate these into the role-play. For example, you can show the teddy bear being brave during an injection and then rewarding it with a “sticker” or a small treat afterward. This helps create a positive association with medical procedures. • Use this opportunity to practice relaxation or coping techniques such as deep breathing, squeezing a stress ball, or using a comfort item (like a favourite blanket or toy). Brain in hand app has some good relation strategies. |
| Familiarization with Hospital Staff | • If possible, have someone who works in the medical field (like a nurse or doctor) interact with the teddy. This helps the child/young person feel more comfortable with real-life staff during their actual visit. • You can introduce friendly, familiar faces (or toys) as medical staff members. These “staff members” can help to demystify the medical process, making it less intimidating when the child/young person interacts with hospital staff in real life. |
| Repetition and Encouragement | • Practice the Teddy Hospital visits as many times as necessary, reinforcing different aspects of the hospital experience, from check-ups to treatments. The more the child/young person becomes familiar with the process through repetition, the less fearful the child/young person will be. • After the teddy bear’s visit, reward the child/young person for their bravery or participation. This could be as simple as praise or a small reward (stickers, a special treat, etc.). |
| Transitioning to the Real Visit | • Before the actual hospital visit, review the steps involved using the Teddy Hospital approach. Explain that just like the teddy bear, the child/young person will go through similar steps during their real visit. This helps reduce the anxiety about the unknown. • On the actual hospital visit, consider bringing the teddy bear along as a source of comfort. You can also use the teddy as a way to ask questions or express concerns if needed, or even to create distractions during waiting times. |
Adapted by: CFHD Specialist Children’s Learning Disability Service.
Reference:
PAV Publications – “Successful Health Screening Through Desensitisation for People with Learning Disabilities.”
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation – “Supporting People with Learning Disabilities in Healthcare Settings.”
Royal College of Nursing – “Supporting People with Learning Disabilities in Hospital Settings.”
NHS England – “Reasonable Adjustments for People with Learning Disabilities.”
SCIE – “Supporting People with Learning Disabilities Through Healthcare Services.”
The Autism Education Trust – “Preparing for Healthcare Visits
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