Clown Care, also known as hospital clowning, is a program in health care facilities involving visits from specially trained clowns. They are colloquially called "clown doctors" which is a trademarked name in several countries. These visits to hospitals have been shown to help in lifting patients' moods with the positive power of hope and humor. There is also an associated positive benefit to the staff and families of patients.[1]
A clown care troupe at service at the hospital Bambino Gesù in Italy
Patch Adams, considered the first hospital clown, started being a hospital clown in the 1970s. He was portrayed in the 1998 film Patch Adams by Robin Williams, bringing attention to hospital clowning.[2]
Clown Doctors attend specifically to the psycho-social needs of the hospitalized child but in some hospitals they also visit adults.[5] They parody the hospital routine to help children adapt to their surroundings, they also distract from and demystify painful or frightening procedures.[6] The atmosphere of fun and laughter can help children forget about the illness and the stress for a moment.
Clown Doctors use techniques such as magic, music, storytelling and other clowning skills to empower children with doses of fun that help them deal with the range of emotions they may experience while in hospital: fear, anxiety,[7][8] loneliness, boredom.
According to Tan, Metsälä, and Hannula,[9] "Clown care creates a positive emotional state, promotes interaction between parents and child, and fosters affirmative environmental conditions."
Research on the physiological health benefits on laughter has been conducted for decades and continues to be carried out by medical physicians internationally. There is also a growing group of researchers that are exploring the psychological benefits of laughter, and specifically the work of Clown-Doctors.[10][11][12]
^Battrick, Cath; Glasper, Edward Alan; Prudhoe, Gill and Weaver, Katy. 2007. “Clown Humour: The Perceptions of Doctors, Nurses, Parents and Children.” Journal of Children's and Young People's Nursing 1(4): 174-179.
^ abFarrell, Melinda. . Humour Foundation. Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
^Mora, Jim. July 14, 2009. "Clown Doctors." Radio New Zealand National interview
^"紅鼻子醫生 Dr.Rednose – 台灣唯一專業中立的小丑醫生組織" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2020-10-12.
^Nuttman-Shwartz, Orit; Scheyer, Rachel and Tzioni, Herzl. 2010. “Medical Clowning: Even Adults Deserve a Dream.” Social Work in Health Care 49: 581–598.
^Tener Dafna; Lev-Wiesel Rachel; Lang-Franco Nessia; Ofir Shoshi (2010). "Laughing Through This Pain: Medical Clowning During Examination of Sexually Abused Children: An Innovative Approach". Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 19 (2): 128–140. doi:10.1080/10538711003622752. PMID 20390783.
^Vagnoli Laura; Caprilli Simona; Robiglio Arianna; Messeri Andrea (2005). "Clown Doctors as a Treatment for Preoperative Anxiety in Children: A Randomized, Prospective Study". Pediatrics. 116 (4): 563–567.
^Golan G, Tighe P, Dobija N, Perel N, Keidan I (2009). "Clowns for the Prevention of Preoperative Anxiety in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial". Pediatric Anesthesia. 19 (3): 262–266. doi:10.1111/j.1460-9592.2008.02903.x. PMID 19143948.
^Tan, Amil Kusain Perez Jr.; Metsälä, Eija; Hannula, Leena (2014). "Benefits and barriers of clown care: A qualitative phenomenographical study of parents with children in clown care services". The European Journal of Humour Research. 2 (2): 10 pp. doi:10.7592/EJHR2014.2.2.tan. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
^Nicklaus Childrens, Big Apple Circus Clown Care® Celebrates 15 Years of Bringing Smiles to Hospitalized Children at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
^Clown as interpreters of emotions, by Alberto Dionigi P.A.T. Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna 2016-10-18 at the Wayback Machine
^. Archived from the original on 2018-08-14. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
Further readingedit
Clark, Cindy Dell. 2013. Clark, Cindy Dell (2013). "A Clown Most Serious: Patch Adams". International Journal of Play. 2 (3): 163–173. doi:10.1080/21594937.2013.849139. International Journal of Play 2(3): 163-173.
Linge, Lotta. 2008. "Hospital Clowns Working in Pairs - In Synchronized Communication with Ailing Children". International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being 3(1): 27-38.
Miller Van Blerkom, Linda. 1995. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-26. Retrieved 2015-04-23. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 9(4): 462-475.
Watson, Simon. 2008. Watson, S. (2008). "Clowning Around Sets Patients at Ease". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 179 (4): 313–315. doi:10.1503/cmaj.080691. PMC2492963. PMID 18695174. Canadian Medical Association Journal 179(4): 313-315.
External linksedit
Media related to Clown care at Wikimedia Commons
"Clown Doctors", By Dr Peter Spitzer - The Humour Foundation, Churchill Fellow 2002.
Documentary Film "I Clown You"
January 01, 1970
clown, care, also, known, hospital, clowning, program, health, care, facilities, involving, visits, from, specially, trained, clowns, they, colloquially, called, clown, doctors, which, trademarked, name, several, countries, these, visits, hospitals, have, been. Clown Care also known as hospital clowning is a program in health care facilities involving visits from specially trained clowns They are colloquially called clown doctors which is a trademarked name in several countries These visits to hospitals have been shown to help in lifting patients moods with the positive power of hope and humor There is also an associated positive benefit to the staff and families of patients 1 A clown care troupe at service at the hospital Bambino Gesu in Italy Contents 1 Background 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBackground editPatch Adams considered the first hospital clown started being a hospital clown in the 1970s He was portrayed in the 1998 film Patch Adams by Robin Williams bringing attention to hospital clowning 2 Professional Clown Doctors began working in hospitals in 1986 under a program called the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit which was started by Michael Christensen in New York City Clown Doctor programs now operate in every state in Australia New Zealand 3 the United States the United Kingdom Canada Israel South Africa Hong Kong Brazil Belarus Taiwan 4 and all over Europe and in some parts of India 2 Clown Doctors attend specifically to the psycho social needs of the hospitalized child but in some hospitals they also visit adults 5 They parody the hospital routine to help children adapt to their surroundings they also distract from and demystify painful or frightening procedures 6 The atmosphere of fun and laughter can help children forget about the illness and the stress for a moment Clown Doctors use techniques such as magic music storytelling and other clowning skills to empower children with doses of fun that help them deal with the range of emotions they may experience while in hospital fear anxiety 7 8 loneliness boredom According to Tan Metsala and Hannula 9 Clown care creates a positive emotional state promotes interaction between parents and child and fosters affirmative environmental conditions Research on the physiological health benefits on laughter has been conducted for decades and continues to be carried out by medical physicians internationally There is also a growing group of researchers that are exploring the psychological benefits of laughter and specifically the work of Clown Doctors 10 11 12 See also editPatch Adams Big Apple Circus Theodora Children s Charity Humor researchReferences edit Battrick Cath Glasper Edward Alan Prudhoe Gill and Weaver Katy 2007 Clown Humour The Perceptions of Doctors Nurses Parents and Children Journal of Children s and Young People s Nursing 1 4 174 179 a b Farrell Melinda History of Clowning Humour Foundation Archived from the original on 2017 01 05 Retrieved 2017 01 14 Mora Jim July 14 2009 Clown Doctors Radio New Zealand National interview 紅鼻子醫生 Dr Rednose 台灣唯一專業中立的小丑醫生組織 in Chinese Taiwan Retrieved 2020 10 12 Nuttman Shwartz Orit Scheyer Rachel and Tzioni Herzl 2010 Medical Clowning Even Adults Deserve a Dream Social Work in Health Care 49 581 598 Tener Dafna Lev Wiesel Rachel Lang Franco Nessia Ofir Shoshi 2010 Laughing Through This Pain Medical Clowning During Examination of Sexually Abused Children An Innovative Approach Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 19 2 128 140 doi 10 1080 10538711003622752 PMID 20390783 Vagnoli Laura Caprilli Simona Robiglio Arianna Messeri Andrea 2005 Clown Doctors as a Treatment for Preoperative Anxiety in Children A Randomized Prospective Study Pediatrics 116 4 563 567 Golan G Tighe P Dobija N Perel N Keidan I 2009 Clowns for the Prevention of Preoperative Anxiety in Children A Randomized Controlled Trial Pediatric Anesthesia 19 3 262 266 doi 10 1111 j 1460 9592 2008 02903 x PMID 19143948 Tan Amil Kusain Perez Jr Metsala Eija Hannula Leena 2014 Benefits and barriers of clown care A qualitative phenomenographical study of parents with children in clown care services The European Journal of Humour Research 2 2 10 pp doi 10 7592 EJHR2014 2 2 tan Retrieved June 3 2020 Nicklaus Childrens Big Apple Circus Clown Care Celebrates 15 Years of Bringing Smiles to Hospitalized Children at Nicklaus Children s Hospital Clown as interpreters of emotions by Alberto Dionigi P A T Group Department of Psychology University of Bologna Archived 2016 10 18 at the Wayback Machine Red Noses The first Clowndoctor on a visit with RED NOSES Michael Christensen Archived from the original on 2018 08 14 Retrieved 2016 10 17 Further reading editClark Cindy Dell 2013 Clark Cindy Dell 2013 A Clown Most Serious Patch Adams International Journal of Play 2 3 163 173 doi 10 1080 21594937 2013 849139 International Journal of Play 2 3 163 173 Linge Lotta 2008 Hospital Clowns Working in Pairs In Synchronized Communication with Ailing Children International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well being 3 1 27 38 Miller Van Blerkom Linda 1995 Clown Doctors Shaman Healers of Western Medicine PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2015 02 26 Retrieved 2015 04 23 Medical Anthropology Quarterly 9 4 462 475 Watson Simon 2008 Watson S 2008 Clowning Around Sets Patients at Ease Canadian Medical Association Journal 179 4 313 315 doi 10 1503 cmaj 080691 PMC 2492963 PMID 18695174 Canadian Medical Association Journal 179 4 313 315 External links edit nbsp Media related to Clown care at Wikimedia Commons Clown Doctors By Dr Peter Spitzer The Humour Foundation Churchill Fellow 2002 Documentary Film I Clown You Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Clown Care amp oldid 1189831684, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
