My name is Jenika Bhudia and I'm a full-time play specialist at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital (RNTNE) and the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre.  My role is to support and engage with children and young people during their visit to the hospital through the use of play.

The RNTNE and the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre specialises in various types of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeries and audio vestibular medicine.  D Ward is known as Paediatric daycare ward that consists of 12 beds.  Children and young people (ages 0-16) come in from 7.30am for surgery and stay until the end of the day as part of their recovery process.  We specialise in all types of surgeries relating to ENT, from basic surgery such as tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and grommets to complex surgeries such as myringoplasty, ossiculoplasty, tympanoplasty and much more.  Complex surgeries can take up to 2 hours and sometimes require overnight stays, in these situations the patients are transferred over to the main paediatric wards at UCLH.

Our team is built up of experienced and qualified ENT Specialists.  The Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre investigates hearing and speech impairments.  Different types of hearing tests take place here and children and young people can be provided with hearing aids from birth.  They are reviewed at the centre every 6 months for re-testing and the re-fitting of hearing modules and to receive input from other specialised clinics such as speech, language and psychology.  These procedures can take from 2 hours up to a whole day and a large part of my role is to try and provide the young patients with a better experience whilst going through their treatment.

Basic arts and craft activities (such as painting, colouring and puzzles) provide a good distraction for young patients from invasive interventions.  Sensory resources (such as bubble tubes, lava lamps, toys with texture and sound) are invaluable in helping children with special needs.  In general the toys and craft materials deliver a coping mechanism from the fears and anxiety of being in hospital and not knowing what to expect.

If you would like to help develop and maintain the play facilities for the children and young people being cared for at the RNTNE and the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre, please click here.  Thank you.