Procedure

Childrens from 4 to 18 years old who are long-term patients in the hospital and who have a great need for social contact, including with their schoolmates, are eligible for the Avatar Kids project.
Case 1:
New admissions: Children who are new to the hospital and are experiencing great difficulty because they miss contact with their class and friends.
Case 2:
Reintegration: Children who need to reestablish social contact after a hospital stay of several months.
Case 3:
Recurrent hospitalization: Children who have to return to the hospital repeatedly for an extended period of time.
Case 4:
Bone marrow transplants: Children who are isolated and have to stay in the hospital for more than three months.
Case 5:
Psychosomatic cases: Children with psychosomatic illnesses such as anorexia or bulimia.

Patient profile

• A child is admitted to the hospital and it turns out to be a long-term patient.
• The teachers at the University Children's Hospital Basel are familiar with the Avatar Kids project and consider it to be beneficial for the child.
• The hospital teacher discusses the assignment in the team (for example, with psychooncologists, ward managers, etc.).
• Teachers and parents are informed (Kindercity provides information brochure).
• Kindercity is informed and supplies the hardware and the application for Avatar Kids.
• Child, parents and teachers are introduced to the system.
• Appointments to log the child into the school class are agreed between the hospital teacher and the resource planning programme.
• At the end of the assignment, all participants will be contacted by Kindercity for evaluation, if desired.

Next steps

In cooperation with the University Children's Hospital of Basel, the first test subjects will be selected to start the pilot phase.