Cathal McCarthy from, Banogue, County Limerick, with his mum Linda, second from right, art therapist Sheila Richardson and play specialist Kristina Buckley

New art therapy programme at Children's Ark in Mid West hospital

ART therapy sessions recently introduced at the Children’s Ark, University Hospital Limerick, are a new addition to the range of therapies and programmes to help children develop and to deal with being unwell.

 

Being in hospital for any duration can be tough on children and their families. And the Children’s Ark has introduced a range of programmes and events that both break up the day and help children cope with illness through the mediums of art and music, and much more besides. These involve both qualified therapists and artists running more informal events.

 

One of the more recent initiatives is the weekly art therapy sessions being run in the Ark since April 2016 by art therapist Sheila Richardson, who has over 20 years experience of working with children and adolescents.

 

Explaining her work, Ms Richardson said: “Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses art materials to gain insight and awareness to facilitate change and growth. Art therapy is perfect for young people as it provides a gentle and safe way for them to explore their feelings  verbally and  non-verbally.

 

In a hospital environment, it is an ideal way to help children and teenagers who experience illness and injury to recover. The creative process helps build fine and gross motor skills while engaging the young persons’ imagination and natural playfulness. Adolescents can gain insight into their problems and find compassionate and creative ways to support their development and healing. It also allows the processing of trauma that can lead to emotional healing and recovery,” she added.

 

Play specialist Beryl Carswell said: “Art therapy allows the children and adolescents express themselves by using many forms of art materials. The art therapist provides these and allows time for them to be enjoyed during the busy routine within the unit. She provides her full attention to the needs of a particular patient. The patient may be feeling low after surgery; confined to their room/bed for their specific treatment; coping with a new diagnosis such as diabetes. The therapy provides welcome distraction from the routine of a busy ward. It is a total change from clinical care and choice of a specific activity is of paramount importance.”

 

Music is also helping children cope with illness and to recover at the Children’s Ark. In 2015, UHL was one of the first three hospitals outside of Dublin to participate in the Kids’ Classics Music in Children’s Hospitals, a programme supported by the National Concert Hall and the Lauritzson Foundation.

 

More recently, the wards have been filled with the sounds of Music Generation Limerick, whose Peter Hannigan and Emma Langford are now regular performers in the Ark.

 

Wild Encounters, a Limerick-based animal outreach programme run by Ben Hart and Liam Fitzgerald, have also been entertaining and educating children on the Ark with their menagerie of feathered, scaled and furry friends.

 

Play specialist KristinaBuckley said: I have observed the positive experiences and benefits that both art and music therapies have on the children and adults.  In the future, I would like to explore a variety of other therapies for the children, including animal therapy.”