Videophone support for an eight-year-old boy undergoing paediatric bone marrow transplantation.
We report the use of an Internet-based videophone to support a child undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Over the Christmas period, an eight-year-old boy with an underlying diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a history of absconding and aggressive non-compliant behaviour was treated by BMT. We installed an Internet-based videophone in the patient's hospital room two days post-transplant. A second videophone was installed in the patient's home and used the existing home telephone line. In all, 14 videophone calls were made over a nine-day period. The videophone improved interfamily social and emotional support, and appeared to reduce some of the inherent anxiety and distress resulting from paediatric bone marrow transplantation.
Bensink
Mark
M
Centre for Online Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. m.bensink@coh.uq.edu.au
Shergold
Jill
J
Lockwood
Liane
L
Little
Margaret
M
Irving
Helen
H
Russell
Trevor
T
Wootton
Richard
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012944:Social Support; D049269:Videoconferencing