X-ray play
Expressive arts activities are a great way for a child to process a medical experience from a safe distance and can provide the adult the opportunity to talk about what that experience was like for that child and clear up any misconceptions that the child may have. Allowing for the manipulation of medical materials provides opportunity for the normalization of the materials and the act of gluing, coloring, cutting, etc., can give the child a sense of control and mastery over the experience.
So the next time your child has to get an x-ray, ask for a digital copy. That way, you can print it out at home and enjoy some x-ray play! Using the example of the x-ray of an ankle posted here, the adult could open up discussion about why we need x-rays, the role that our bones play in our bodies, how many bones we have and how our bodies work to heal ourselves when we get hurt. This could be adapted for children in hospitals and the child could even use their x-ray art to decorate the room, which could be a great conversation piece with the doctors and nurses.
