Children recovering from orthopaedic surgery at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) now have access to a colourful new sensory cart, providing comfort and support during their rehabilitation, thanks to funding from the WCH Foundation.

The Rehabilitation Orthopaedic Service cares for children with neuromuscular and physical conditions, who often face significant pain, limited mobility, and overwhelming sensory environments during their hospital stay. For many of these young patients, bright lights, loud spaces, unfamiliar faces and stressful procedures can make recovery even harder.

To help ease these experiences, the team has introduced a mobile sensory cart, filled with carefully selected tools designed to comfort, distract and motivate children throughout their rehabilitation.

The cart features a gentle bubble tube, a projector that washes the room in soft movement, fibre-optic strands to touch and explore, an infinity wall mirror, and an interactive panel that lights up and responds to clapping, talking and music.

These sensory tools are already helping children feel more grounded and calm, providing positive distraction from pain and reducing the stress of procedures such as cast removal, blood tests and cannula insertions.

Rebecca Appleby, Occupational Therapist at the WCH, shared that “’Hospitals can feel overwhelming and unfamiliar for children and their families.”

“By meeting their sensory needs, we can reduce stress and help individuals to feel safe to participate in therapy and interventions, creating positive experiences in hospital.”

For 10-year-old Max, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation, the sensory cart has become part of his exercise program. Each exercise is assigned a colour, and during therapy sessions Max rolls a colour-coded cube to choose what comes next. The sensory cart then lights up in the same colour, helping guide and motivate him through each exercise.

“It’s really cool,” Max said with a grin. “I rate it nine out of ten.”

Seeing children engage so positively with the cart has been especially meaningful for the team.

Rebecca says, “It’s been so exciting to see children like Max be able to enjoy the cart, and to be able to meet their needs in a creative, accessible and fun way.”

When children’s sensory needs are better met, they feel safer, more regulated and more able to participate in therapy, which can support faster recovery and earlier discharge.

The WCH Foundation is proud to have funded this project, helping transform challenging moments into calmer, more positive experiences for children and families.

At just eight years old, Divyank is a superhero fan with a big love his dog, Ruby.

In many ways, he’s just like other children his age. However, Divyank lives with a very rare genetic condition called Crouzon syndrome. Divyank has a severe case of craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the bones of the skull to fuse too early, affecting the development of his skull, eyes, nose, teeth, and spine. Because of this, Divyank requires ongoing specialist care and has already undergone dozens of surgeries in his short life.

For Divyank’s mum, Sabina, finding the right care was everything.

“We moved from Canberra to Adelaide because of the incredible Craniofacial and Neurosurgery specialists that the Women’s and Children’s Hospital have” she explains. We’ve been to many hospitals around Australia and the WCH is our favourite. The staff are warm, friendly and they truly hear us.”

Divyank is under the care of multiple teams at the Hospital, including ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Orthopaedics and Speech Pathology. One of his many operations, including a tracheostomy, which requires frequent suction, tape and tube replacement. 

“Having a child with significant healthcare needs is hard,” Sabina shares. “Divyank needs suction throughout the night, so I rarely sleep for long stretches. But we’ve learned to manage, and we just do what’s needed to keep him safe and comfortable.”

The family works together to navigate the challenges. “It has been extremely tough at times,” says Sabina. “I am his full-time carer, and Sanjiv (his dad) often adjusts his work so he can support us with the many appointments. It hasn’t always been easy, but together we do our best to stay strong for Divyank.”  During hospital stays, Sabina says it’s often the small comforts that lift Divyank’s spirits and aid his recovery.

“Sometimes a nurse or therapist will find a special toy that they know Divyank likes. And the play spaces and children’s musical activities in the Hospital really help lift his spirits.”

And what does Divyank look forward to most when he goes home? “Treat-food Saturdays!” he says with a smile. As he is mostly liquid-fed, these special evenings at home enjoying his favourite meal (McDonald’s) are a treasured family ritual.

Despite the immense challenges they face, the family finds joy in their time together. “When we have Divyank at home with us, I forget the hardship and just feel happy and blessed to have him with us.”

The WCH Foundation is supporting innovative research offering new hope for children like Divyank. Led by Professor Peter Anderson, this work could delay or even eliminate the need for invasive surgery for infants with craniosynostosis, reducing the trauma and challenges faced by these children and their families. Read more on Professor Anderson’s research here.

On Wednesday, October 8th, we celebrated Play Therapy Day, highlighting our Play Therapists and the positive impact play has on children and families at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH).

Play is so much more than arts & crafts: it’s essential for supporting emotional wellbeing, reducing anxiety, and allowing children to process their hospital experience. Through play, young patients build resilience, express feelings, and regain a sense of control.

This year’s Play Therapy Day featured a variety of activities, each offering unique benefits for patients and their families.

• Playdough: Provides comforting sensory engagement and a calming outlet for children navigating hospital life.
• Badge Making: Encourages self-expression and creativity by creating custom badges.
• Decorating Hospital Buddies: Allows patients to explore and share emotions in an alternative way.
• Window Mural: Builds a sense of community to work towards a common goal, with patients, families and staff invited to join in.
• Keyrings and Jellyfish Bracelets: A peaceful, mindful activity encouraging focus, relaxation, and creativity.
• Giant Connect 4:  Nurtures problem-solving skills, quick thinking, and most importantly a sense of fun!
• Medical Play: Reduces the anxiety of hospital procedures through discovery, practice and play.

We were also joined by BIG W staff, who generously gave their time to help with the day’s activities and share in the fun. BIG W has long supported Play Therapy through their fundraising efforts, and their hands-on involvement made this year’s celebration even more special.

Thank you to our dedicated Play Therapy team and everyone who made Play Therapy Day such a meaningful experience!

The WCH Foundation is proud to support Play Therapy at the WCH. Learn more about Play Therapy here.