Working with Kids at Washington Children’s Hospital

This past week I spent a day working with young outpatients in the Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology Lab at Children’s National Medical Center here in Washington, D.C. Under the direction of department head Dr. Sze and child life specialist Grace Tan, we wanted to see  if the activity of making pop-ups in the waiting room helped lessen children’s  anxieties about their hospital visit by making their wait a fun and participatory experience. Based on responses from the kids, the idea seems promising. We’re hoping to develop related activities, and possibly a pop-up kit, that can be handed out and constructed when staff are not available to help.