Nobody likes having to stay in the hospital. It’s a cold, busy place full of sickness and sadness, and it makes the comforts of home seem better than ever. For children, staying in a hospital can be particularly uncomfortable, especially when they’re very young.
According to the Australian Psychological Society (APS), 10-15% of children admitted to the hospital after an injury develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For children admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), the risk is higher, with 20-25% acquiring this PTSD diagnosis.
It’s not hard to figure out why hospital stays are so traumatic for children, the APS explains. Oftentimes, the child can be disoriented or confused from sickness and/or injury, preventing them from fully being able to understand their medical treatment. Other times, they’re simply too young.
Luckily, a doctor in Sao Paulo Brazil, is doing everything in his power to make the hospital stay more enjoyable for all his little patients.
Dr. Paulo Martins is a doctor at the Ribeirao Preto Clinical Hospital in Sao Paulo. He has a passion for music and is known for combining music with traditional forms of medicine to promote the recovery of his adolescent and children patients. Last year, when Dr. Martins decided to bring in an instrument to cheer up his patients, one little girl surprised them all.
The day Dr. Martins brought in a ukulele, he started making the rounds of the hospital floor, playing to the older patients. That’s when he noticed someone was following him.
“I was going from one room to another and I noticed there was a little one at the door,” he said.
“She followed me wherever I went and when I left the last room, she was waiting for me in the corridor.”
“She looked at me with curiosity and it was clear she wanted me to play a tune for her.”
The little is named Sophia Romao Bueno.
She had been staying at the Ribeirao Preto Clinical Hospital while receiving treatments for Langerhans Cells Histiocytosis, an immune system disorder with cancer-like symptoms.
Dr. Martins knew the girl expected him to sing her a tune, but he was embarrassed he didn’t know any children’s songs. “Sophia’s dad suggested a song called ‘I Know the Color’,” he recalled. “Fortunately, it was one I knew.”
“When I sang it for Sophia, she danced and sang along and when the song ended she kept looking at me for more.”
“So, I played it again and she danced even more. It was a magical moment, unique and emotional.”
As Dr. Martins sings, Sophia sways and stomps, moving her body to the music.
Even the girl’s IV can’t hold her back; someone holds it out of the way, giving her free reign to dance.
Luckily, someone managed to capture a video of the event which was uploaded online and viewed more than 9 million times! People couldn’t stop praising the doctor’s initiative and admiring the adorable child.
Sophia’s mom Maraya said: “Sophia is a resilient child with a lot of joy and beauty inside her, and her dancing was her way of expressing that inner happiness even as she fights against he disease.”
“As Sophia danced, all the problems on the ward just seemed to disappear and everything was tranquil and fine in the infirmary during those special, spellbinding minutes.”
See it for yourself below!
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