![]() ![]() Finally, current research on clowning in children's hospitals will be reviewed including a summary of findings from surveys administered at Sick Kids.Ĭlown historian John Towsen ( 4) suggests that ‘the clown's ability to evoke feelings of superiority in the spectator plays a hidden role in all clowning’ (p. Toward this end, a proposed model of therapeutic clowning will be offered which can be adapted for a variety of settings where children require specialized forms of play in order to enhance their coping, development and adjustment to life changes. In an attempt to apply theory to practice, the article will draw upon the experiences of a therapeutic clown within a pediatric setting while providing a historical and theoretical account of how clowns came to be in hospitals. The aim is to offer an established model of therapeutic clowning upon which standards of practice can be developed and measured. The purpose of this article is to address what therapeutic clowning is and to describe the extent to which it can provide a complementary form of health care. Since clowning in pediatric settings continues to grow, there is an urgent need to define the role of the therapeutic clown, particularly because this form of clowning can involve interactions with seriously ill or dying children. The goal of therapeutic clowning is to minimize stress for patients and their families during hospitalization and treatment ( 1–3). Therapeutic clowns in pediatric settings use gentle play and laughter to provide ill children with another avenue for emotional expression, control and social interaction during their hospitalization. At the other end of the spectrum, volunteer clowns, though well-intentioned, may be simply dressed-up people with little training and less understanding of the role and potential of the therapeutic clown. At their most professional, therapeutic clowns are respected complementary care providers who are able to articulate their role in the care of the patients as integral members of the health care team. This rapid expansion of clowns in health care settings has resulted in varying levels of professionalism and accountability. In addition, volunteer caring clowns visit countless hospitals and nursing homes, particularly in the United States and Canada. Australia has the Humour Foundation Clown Doctor Programs, South America its Doutores da Alegria (Doctors of Happiness) and France, Le Rire Médecin (Laughing Doctors). In the United States, 90 clown doctors from the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Units (CCU) provide 250 000 bedside visits yearly. ![]() The Theodora Foundation sponsors clowns in 82 hospitals on three continents, Europe, Africa and Asia. Patients can range in age from infancy to adolescence. For example, six clowns from the Therapeutic Clown Program at the Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, see an average of 20 children 2 days per week, for a total of over 10 000 visits a year. Many thousands of children are exposed to clowns during their hospitalization. In the last decade, there has been a rapid growth in the presence of clowns in hospitals, particularly in pediatric settings. Finally, current research on clowning in children's hospitals will be reviewed including a summary of findings from surveys administered at the Hospital for Sick Children. For this reason, there is a need to examine various forms of clowning, in particular therapeutic clowning in pediatric settings. The proliferation of clowns in health care settings has resulted in varying levels of professionalism and accountability.
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