Does your company manufacture, import or sell sensory toys?
Services across Monash Children’s Hospital are seeking donations of sensory toys for their patients. Sensory toys include things like stress balls, bubble poppers and fidget spinners. The toys tend to squish, pop, spin or stretch when played with.
Sensory toys are used in our mental health, rehabilitation and general ward areas.
For example, our Rehabilitation Service aims to provide sensory toys to all their inpatients to assist children during painful procedures and uncomfortable physiotherapy sessions.
“Our patients rely heavily on these resources. They help children engage in deep breathing and distraction techniques during their treatment sessions,” said Dr Kelly Thompson, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service.
Early in Life Mental Health Service (ELMHS) aims to create two sensory trolleys full of these toys for their young patients to select from during therapy sessions. ELMHS would also like to provide each child with a sensory pack, personalised to their needs, to take home with them when they are discharged.
The sensory toys are also needed by teams including Child Life Therapy and in the general wards.
For safety reasons, all donated toys must be brand new. Monash Health is unable to accept second-hand items.
The Monash Health Foundation can be contacted on 03 9594 2700 and foundation@monashhealth.org
