Rethinking the Cloth Doll: Creative Adaptations of a Foundational Child Life Tool for Teen Patients

The cloth doll is an important tool in child life interventions for patients of all ages and cultures. Beyond the traditional uses of the cloth doll for preparation and medical play, through creative adaptations the therapeutic benefits of cloth dolls can be extended for wider clinical use with teen patients. These adaptations expand unique education and learning opportunities, encourage self-expression, foster inspiration, and build community among patient peers.  This session will focus on the impact of illness on adolescents using the ecological systems theory, and the sharing of information and resources to help other professionals adapt and implement this practical, play and creative arts inspired cloth doll activity to facilitate and support adolescent inpatients and outpatients. Individual examples of patient created work will be shared to highlight the diverse range of applications for the basic cloth doll.