Children hospitalized in the Pediatric ICU of Santa Casa enter the June festivities
ICU and laundry management teams at Santa Casa produced accessories and custom 'June outfits' for the little ones
"Although the children are here, bedridden for a long time, it makes them feel more alive and for us, the mothers, who are also in the hospital. This moment of dressing them up, putting a hat or a bow on their heads, makes a big difference, which for people outside may not mean much," says Juliana Azevedo, mother of Adam, 5 years old.
Juliana and other mothers of children in the ICU stepped out of their routine this week to prepare their children with accessories and custom-made 'June outfits' made with love by the ICU teams and the laundry management of Santa Casa.
"We know that the patients here are long-term residents. Some people have never even had the chance to go home. So we use these techniques to create playful activities, to develop something for commemorative dates to ease the burden of being in the same place every day. It’s a way to alleviate tension, to ease the incidents, to try to take a bit of the weight of living in a hospital. So we always seek to celebrate these commemorative dates in various ways," explains nurse Laila Dias, the technical manager of the São Cosme ICU.
Because they are children who need intensive care and are connected to machines, the characterization had to adapt to the care needs of the little ones, using accessories like vests, ties, bows, and hats that would not interfere with the assistance dynamics for ICU patients. The outfits, for example, needed to be made using safe but also sustainable materials. Nurse Alessandra Felipe, manager of the laundry processing department at Santa Casa, explains how such a specific demand was met.
"The laundry is a support sector and our goal is to deliver clean bedding. However, with sustainability, we started the project here in the Pediatric ICU, with recyclable bags for the mothers, which was the beginning of the project, which was the kit for companions delivered in waterproof recycled fabric bags. And then came this new challenge, which would be the June festival outfits for the little ones, which we also thought of using the same material, as it is sustainable, lightweight, hygienic, and would fit the vests perfectly for each child," details Alessandra.
For Maizy Tavares, who has been accompanying her daughter Sophia in the Santa Casa ICU for four years, each celebration is a moment of joy for the girl, who has already been Miss Caipira and loves to dress up for parties.
"In 2023, Sophia even became Miss Caipira while she was hospitalized in the pediatric ward. I see, from each of her expressions, that she loves to dress up, she is very vain, and for me, it is also very important to see her happy," reveals the mother.
And for those who still doubt the benefits of playful activities, such as the June celebration, for the patients, there is the testimony of Juliana, Adam's mother, from the beginning of the article.
"The children understand yes. Although they do not speak, they feel this love, this affection, and we as mothers find it very nice that the nursing team provides this for us, which seems very simple, but means a lot to us. For me, seeing Adam like this, decorated, taking pictures, makes us feel hope and a desire to live again, and to continue on this journey, so I think these initiatives, the projects that exist for the children, for the mothers, make us happy, so it means a lot to us!" concludes Juliana.
