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New song adds a dose of fun

Wednesday 27 November 2019 in News from the Cancer Centre

Thermometers and crocodile clips were part of an ‘obs’ routine Haripriya began to dread but she had a favourite song called the Wheels on the Bus, and a perceptive Music Therapist in Miriam Cromie, which turned everything around.

After Haripriya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at 18 months of age a long hospital stay meant clinical observations went from being ordinary to irritating. Eventually she began to hate them which was a problem as temperature, heart rate and blood pressure are an important part of patient care and it was hard for Haripriya to co-operate when she didn’t like what was happening.

Even procedures that are not uncomfortable can be upsetting when they are new to young children in a hospital environment, but music can help to make the unusual seem ordinary.   

“As music therapists we often use familiar tunes, like the Wheels on the Bus, to help patients understand what is going on in the hospital,” said Miriam.

She sang a new song just for Haripriya called When You Stay in Hospital based on the tune to the Wheels on the Bus with upbeat repetitive lyrics that made ‘obs’ a game.

Her mother remembers, “Miriam played music for our little girl, made her smile and it was one of the few highlights during this very hard time.”

It was such a success the song soon became a book so more children could use music to better understand hospital ‘obs’ procedures. When pictures were needed, experienced illustrator Joe Tarling, whose daughter had been a patient at the hospital in 2012 with a serious heart condition, was the perfect choice.

“Having spent many hours in the hospital, he knew what it looked and felt like for patients and could provide accurate illustrations that children would relate to,” said Miriam.

Their book shows how music can affect emotions to engage, distract and inspire children and best of all, it’s fun. Unusual things are no longer strange, and become more like a game. Just ask Haripriya!

Download When You Stay in Hospital for free.

Buy When You Stay in a Hospital from the Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s bookshop.

Find out more about Music Therapy.

 

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