When Yotam Rotem, 13.5 years old, whose family was evacuated from Kibbutz Mitzvah in the Western Galilee, came to Rambam to undergo treatment for his broken nose, he expected to see nurses, doctors and various medical devices, but not the children's hospital's secret weapon - Tinka and Kelly, the therapy dogs that support the hospitalized and patients .
"Yotam broke his nose while doing physical activity and we came to Rambam for treatment that required sedation," explains Noa, Yotam's mother, "We are a family that was evacuated from our home due to the war, and that makes everything more challenging. Although the medical procedure is very simple, the emotional resources are already drained, and this also makes this matter a shocking situation.
While Yotom was recovering and I was by his side, Tinka and Kelly, stunning Labrador dogs, suddenly appeared, and their companions Idit and Keren, who first of all saw me as a mother in this situation and it was amazing to me," recalls the mother excitedly, "Tinka came up to me and started sniffing me. The conversation was very fluid, pleasant and unmediated. There is something that blurs the boundaries about petting a dog in such a scenario. Then, when Yotham woke up, the communication with Tinka moved to his bed.
She lay on top of him, he caressed her, talked to her and Idit and there was a lovely interaction for many minutes. When they took out his IV, she stuck her head in there. She was just there with him, inside this place, and made it neither painful nor scary, light and pleasant. It was really exciting to see that. We experienced long moments of happiness, which is a strange thing to say about a visit to a hospital."
Nurses on all fours - the therapy dogs join the sedation treatment of children at Rambam ► Watch
Sedation is the easiest form of anesthesia that exists in the world of medicine and is a routine procedure in performing various minor medical operations, but, when it comes to children, even the simple things can feel more complicated.
Recently, a new service was inaugurated at Rambam, as part of which - Tinka and Kelly, the therapy dogs that work at Rambam, began to accompany the children who come to the "Ruth" hospital, and are forced to go through a blur for various tests and medical treatments as part of day care.
The children, who do not always happily accept the medical treatment, may end up in situations of fear and anxiety, which only increase the intensity of the pain and trauma - a situation that Rambam believes can be avoided with simple tools and turn it into a positive experience for the young patients.
"Dogs take care of the body and mind and are very helpful in reducing anxiety and lifting the mood," says Yana Levin, a nurse who coordinates sedation and pain at the Ruth Children's Hospital in Rambam, "just being close to a dog gives children a sense of security and strength. These allow them to go through processes that cause them to fear, in a more positive way. It's lovely to see it happen again and again."
Tinka and Kelly, who understand a thing or two about healing, work in different departments at Rambam as part of a dog therapy service provided at the medical center since the beginning of the war.
Wounded soldiers, full-time hospitalized, pregnant women or children - caregivers on all fours have the ability to encourage and help each and every one of them: "There are studies that say that taking care of a dog, or the mere contact and encounter with the dog, reduces stress, releases endorphins and makes you feel good," Idit points out. Leyva, Tinka's trainer and the one who accompanies her in Rambam, "When we are at the "Ruth" hospital, we see how the children forget why they came and the time passes happily until the process begins.
Everyone gets into a good mood, the patients, the children and the medical staff. In addition to being a dog trainer, I am also an operating room nurse at Rambam. In these two hats, I see our patients in different situations, and this makes me want to bring added value to their treatment.
The therapy dogs have been at Rambam for months and each time we visit more departments. Now we have arrived here as well. It is very exciting for us and we are happy to be together with the children."