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Integral Human Development

A comprehensive and integral approach to child development and well-being during hospitalization

The hospital environment is an adverse space for children, characterized by intense stimuli, such as medical equipment, noise and lighting, which can amplify stress and discomfort. In this context, the healthcare team plays an essential role in promoting humanized and holistic care, centered on the child’s physical, emotional and social well-being.

Hospitalization, as a significant crisis experience, is particularly challenging for children, especially in the early years of life, given their vulnerability and the limitation of their coping mechanisms. According to Algren (2006), the main stress-generating factors include separation, loss of control, pain and bodily injuries, the management of which depends on the child’s age, stage of development and previous experiences.

An effective intervention to mitigate the negative impact of hospitalization is therapeutic play, which reduces fear and stress, promoting trust between the child and the health professional. This approach contributes to the emotional comfort and stability of both the child and the family, favoring a positive adaptation to hospitalization and treatment (Pereira et al., 2010; Sanders, 2014).

The health professional, as a promoter of child development, assesses and monitors the child’s growth, enabling parents to play an active role in this process (Ordem dos Enfermeiros, 2010). However, hospitalization often limits children’s access to diverse recreational activities, intensifying the use of electronic devices. Although these technologies can restrict overall development when used excessively, their moderate and supervised use can be integrated and a complement to pediatric care.

Under proper management, screens can play a beneficial role, providing emotional relief through interactive content that reduces the perception of pain and anxiety. Therefore, it is crucial to know how to establish a healthy balance between technological and recreational activities, using the creativity of the child/parents and health professionals capable of promoting the continuity of treatment, but also the comfort, development (physical, emotional, social, spiritual) and well-being of the child, particularly in vulnerable situations, during hospitalization.

Authors:

Inês Serra: Master’s Student in Nursing – Child and Pediatric Health Nursing, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Escola de Enfermagem de Lisboa, Portugal.

Joana Romeiro: Invited Assistant Professor, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Escola de Enfermagem de Lisboa, Post-Doctoral Program in Integral Human Development, Católica Doctoral School (CADOS), Interdisciplinary Health Research Center (CIIS), Portugal. jromeiro@ucp.pt ; joana.m.romeiro@gmail.com ORCID: 0000-0001-8867-2183


OpenEdition sugere que esta publicação seja citada da seguinte forma:
joanaromeiro (7 de Fevereiro de 2025). A comprehensive and integral approach to child development and well-being during hospitalization. Desenvolvimento Humano Integral. Recuperado em 22 de Março de 2025 de https://doi.org/10.58079/13a4q


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