I Want a Hug
A cbm Canada program officer recently returned from Tanzania. She reported that a recent addition to therapy for non-verbal children was a ‘communications board’. Along with the care-giver, community worker who knows the child, a communications “need list” is designed. These include a picture of food, toilet, and other every day needs. Each board is designed, however, with a couple of unique pictures that indicates the special needs or wants of that child.
I saw a picture of one of these boards, designed for one child. On the board, along side maybe 10 pictures from which the child can point to communicate, was one of a mother hugging a child. That child could, and did, ask for a hug.
Tool used to help non-verbal children communicate
“I want a hug!”
We have a new way that supporters in Canada can transform a child with a disability or at heightened risk of a disability. It’s a program that provides the health care needed for that child, and a hug! A teddy bear is given to the child along with the health care. I watched as children looked at their teddy bear and then hugged it. It provided comfort at a very difficult and stressful time in their life.
Imagine children, with a disability, in a hospital environment, new and worrisome, not knowing the future. How many of them would point to that picture – “I want a hug!”
You can provide a hug for a child – and healing care.