Occupational therapy in hospital playroom for children with Fanconi anemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric hospitalization is potentially stressful, especially when associated with rare diseases and prolonged treatments, such as Fanconi anemia (FA) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which may impact children’s neuropsychomotor and emotional development by restricting daily activities and reducing their occupational repertoire. Objective: To characterize the practice of occupational therapists with children diagnosed with FA in the hospital playroom of a bone marrow transplant service. Methods: A documentary, retrospective study with a quali-quantitative approach was conducted by analyzing electronic medical records and field diary notes related to occupational therapy sessions conducted from 2022 to 2024 at a university hospital in southern Brazil. Results: The sample consisted of 36 medical records of children aged between 6 months and 15 years, predominantly female, all accompanied by their mothers as primary caregivers. Content analysis identified six thematic categories, highlighting play as the central resource of occupational therapy intervention, promoting occupational engagement, emotional expression, maintenance of performance skills, and the reinterpretation of the hospitalization experience. Conclusion: Occupational therapists working in hospital playrooms play a fundamental role in the humanization of care, in coping with pediatric hospitalization, and in promoting child development and well-being in complex hospital contexts.