For children, being separated from their parents in a not-so-happy place can be terrifying, let alone a hospital. So, hospital staffs are doing creative ways to ease the anxiety kids feel, especially when they’re going through surgery.
For example, Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California, has provided mini cars designed for kids between 2 and 7 years old, and the little patients can choose between a black Mercedes or a pink VW beetle for them to drive.
The toy cars can be operated by the kids themselves or by remote control with functioning headlights and taillights. The kids can also choose what kind of music they want as the cars have built-in radios.
“When the children find out they can go into the operating room riding in a cool little car, they light up and in most cases, their fears melt away,” pre-op nurse Kimberly Martinez told CBS News. “In addition, when parents see their children put at ease, it puts them at ease as well.”
“It can be traumatizing for a young patient to be peeled away from their parents as they head into surgery, this truly helps everyone involved.”
