Child Friendly Hospitals and Clinics

Children visit hospitals and clinics as both patients and visitors. These visits can be made stress free for the children and their parents and be the point of cultivation of a positive health-access behaviour in the future healthcare consumer.

Paediatric friendly healthcare spaces need to be :

1. Safe (height, blunt-edges, padded non-slippery flooring etc.)
2. Hygiene friendly (since extra contact surfaces are included i.e play-area/toys etc. all these should be hygiene friendly)
3. Appealing (lighting, colour scheme, noise etc.)
4. Engaging (toys, play-areas, wall murals etc.)
5. Compliant with statutory and mandatory healthcare infrastructural requirements (space allocation to each room and bed type, fire safety, direction signage etc.)

Read the following articles to get a better idea of how we can keep our young patients safe and smiling.

https://explore.idskids.com/thecheckup/what-is-the-future-of-pediatric-medical-office-design

https://www.hdrinc.com/insights/design-strategies-pediatric-spaces

http://www.greencobalta.com/pediatric-clinic-design-ideas-for-happy-visits/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/244482034_The_Design_and_Testing_of_Interactive_Hospital_Spaces_to_Meet_the_Needs_of_Waiting_Children

https://hhbc.in/pediatric-hospital-planning-designing/

https://www.hfmmagazine.com/articles/1801-pediatric-facility-designs-embrace-family-and-fun