Polly may not wear a white coat, but she has excellent bedside manner.<\/p>\n
The Labrador Retriever recently visited an 8-year-old cancer patient at Children\u2019s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein (CHAM), who began experiencing tremors after doctors removed their breathing tube and reduced their sedative medications. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Polly was present in the bed with this patient,\u00a0they\u00a0calmed significantly and\u00a0their\u00a0tremors were noticeably less frequent,\u201d Katy Dessick, Polly\u2019s handler and a certified child life specialist, told The Post.<\/p>\n
Research suggests facility dogs can help pediatric patients cooperate with medical procedures and cope with the stress of serious illness. Timur York<\/p>\n
Polly\u2019s presence helped ease what Dessick described as \u201can extremely difficult and emotional experience\u201d for the child and their parents, who could see the difference the dog made.<\/p>\n
The small moment illustrates how facility dogs \u2014 specially trained canines who work alongside health care professionals \u2014 can offer more than a welcome distraction from hospital life. Experts say they can help children manage anxiety, navigate frightening medical procedures and find the emotional breathing room to cope with serious illness.<\/p>\n
Research backs them up. A 2023 study<\/a> surveyed medial staff at a Japanese children\u2019s hospital and found that 73% of respondents who had observed facility dogs reported that the animals \u201cAlways\u201d or \u201cVery often\u201d helped them gain patients\u2019 cooperation with treatment, procedures and end-of-life care.<\/p>\n At CHAM in the Bronx and Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, those benefits take shape through Polly, 4, and Lev, a 7-year-old Labrador Retriever who works in Maimonides\u2019 pediatric unit.<\/p>\n Helping kids open up<\/p>\n Serious illness can upend a child\u2019s sense of normalcy. Hospital stays, invasive procedures and separation from family and friends can leave young patients frightened, anxious or unsure how to process what they\u2019re experiencing.<\/p>\n Dr. Adit L. Tal, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at CHAM, told The Post that children receiving care for blood disorders and cancer often struggle to express their feelings to doctors, nurses and other members of their medical teams.<\/p>\n From getting out of bed for physical therapy to facing intimidating procedures, a visit from a facility dog can give reluctant young patients an extra nudge. Montefiore Einstein<\/p>\n But these dogs can help break through that barrier.<\/p>\n \u201cA facility dog gives them the comfort to open up more,\u201d said Tal. \u201cIn the presence of the dog, I see our patients become more calm and speak more freely to me and the medical team.\u201d<\/p>\n The effect isn\u2019t limited to younger children, either. Dessick sees teenagers open up around Polly, too, like during therapeutic art projects that help patients explore and express their emotions.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of Lev\u2019s favorite things is getting treats from the patients. And the kids absolutely love being the ones who get to give them to him.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabriel, Lev\u2019s handler<\/p>\n Polly has worked with Dessick for nearly three years, visiting children across CHAM\u2019s inpatient and outpatient pediatric specialities. The canine\u2019s calm temperament helps Dessick navigate emotionally challenging situations, while her adaptability allows patients with different physical abilities to interact with her comfortably.<\/p>\n \u201cPolly has a way of making each person she interacts with feel special,\u201d said Dessick.<\/p>\n Polly (pictured) and Katy Dessick have worked together for nearly three years, helping young patients navigate the emotional challenges of hospitalization. Montefiore Einstein<\/p>\n At Maimonides, Lev offers a similar source of comfort. His handler, Gabriel, has worked with him since the dog was only a few weeks old.<\/p>\n \u201cLev gives them a chance to focus on something completely different,\u201d said Gabriel. \u201cFor a few minutes, it can be less about being a patient and more about petting a dog, giving him a treat, laughing and just being a kid again.\u201d<\/p>\n Four-legged motivation<\/p>\n Facility dogs can also help children tackle the less cuddly side of medical care.<\/p>\n When patients grow reluctant to participate in physical therapy, get out of bed for a walk or follow a treatment plan, a dog\u2019s company can give them a reason to try again, Tal explained. The animals can also help children manage fears surrounding medication, central line insertions and upcoming procedures.<\/p>\n The effect includes patients not requiring as much pain medication, she pointed out.<\/p>\n The dogs\u2019 influence can extend beyond the children they visit. Caring for seriously ill patients and supporting distressed families takes an emotional toll on medical professionals, too. Facility dogs can offer staff a moment of calm amid the intensity of hospital work.<\/p>\n \u201cOur jobs can be emotionally taxing, and having the dog there to keep calm has been imperative to our well being,\u201d said Tal.<\/p>\n