Art Therapy Provides Solace to Hospitalized Children in Isolation

As millions of children around the U.S. experience an unprecedented degree of isolation in hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic, a fast-growing art therapy initiative is lifting their spirits.

With access to thousands of donated photo tiles, hospitalized children have been able to surround themselves with images of their loved ones, whom they cannot see in person both due to ongoing stay-at-home orders and the visitation restrictions implemented by children’s hospitals nationwide.

Medical facilities which have introduced these community-driven art therapy programs include UC Davis Children’s Hospital in Sacramento, The Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.

The tiles have been donated by Mixtiles, whose product which turns smartphone pictures into 8"x8" photo tiles that stick and re-stick to walls. The children’s hospitals arranged for their patients to have photo frames surrounding their walls featuring images of family members, friends, and even pets.

For children, who naturally communicate through art and play, it can be difficult to talk about feelings surrounding a diagnosis, treatment, and hospital stay. As such, art therapy — a form of psychotherapy widely practiced by certified mental health professionals — uses art as a vehicle for change, growth, and personal exploration. It enables children to express themselves, relate to others, and share their experiences.

“With the help of Mixtiles, they are able to display their artwork and personal photos of family and friends, which helps connect them not only to their peers in the hospital but also members of their community at home,” said Kathleen Lorain MPS, ATR-BC, an Art Therapist at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. “During the holidays, feeling close to family and friends is especially important as it can help children cope with their hospitalization and concentrate on healing.”

As a result of this initiative, patients are feeling the comfort of their room’s walls covered with the therapeutic influence of their most precious memories.

“This is a trying time for all of us, especially children who can’t quite understand why the world has changed so drastically seemingly overnight,” said Eytan Levit, Co-Founder of Mixtiles. “We hope our wall art brightens the rooms of each child at these facilities and enables them to feel closer to their loved ones, and allows them to focus on some home decor in the meantime.”