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'Eat, sleep, internet and talk': an exploratory study of play profile for children living with palliative care needs
Zainab A Jasem1, Anne-Sophie Darlington2, Danielle Lambrick2
1Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 31470, 90805 Sulaibekhat, State of Kuwait.
Insights
Children in palliative care often have disrupted play due to illness, leading to more solitary activities. Understanding these play patterns is crucial for improving their routines and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Palliative Care
- Child Development
- Play Therapy
Background:
- Play is fundamental to childhood development.
- Children requiring palliative care often face significant disruptions to their play.
- This study examines play characteristics in children receiving palliative care in Kuwait and the UK.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the characteristics and patterns of play among children with palliative care needs.
- To understand how illness impacts children's play in hospital and hospice settings.
- To explore potential cultural influences on play in these settings.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative nonparticipatory observation design.
- Observation of 31 children aged 5–11 years with life-limiting/threatening conditions.
- Content analysis of observational data.
Main Results:
- Children's illnesses negatively impacted typical age-appropriate play.
- Interactive play was predominantly with adults, rarely with peers, due to isolation precautions, need for assistance, and unsuitable play resources.
- Children engaged in more sedentary, solitary play.
- No significant cultural differences in play patterns were found between Kuwait and the UK.
Conclusions:
- Children in palliative care are at risk of social isolation and limited play participation.
- Understanding factors influencing their play is essential for developing effective interventions.
- Modifications to enhance play routines can improve the well-being of children with palliative care needs.
Background:
Play is central to children's lives. Children living with palliative care needs experience disruption in their play. In this study, we sought to discover the characteristics and patterns of children's play when receiving care in children's hospital wards and hospices in Kuwait and the United Kingdom.
Methods:
A qualitative nonparticipatory observation design was used. Thirty-one children were observed, between the ages of 5 and 11 years, all diagnosed with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and receiving palliative care. The data were analysed using content analysis.
Results:
The children's illnesses were negatively impacting their ability to have typical play for their age and development. The children's interactive play was with grown-ups and very rarely with other children. This was associated with isolation precautions, the child's need for assistance and a lack of play resources that match children's physical and cognitive abilities. This gave rise to their engagement in more sedentary, solitary play. The findings of the study did not indicate significant cultural differences between the two countries.
Conclusion:
Children living with palliative care needs may be socially isolated due to their illnesses and their play participation can be limited. Understanding the influencing factors that determine these children's play is essential for implementing effective modifications to enhance their play routines.
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