Luton and Dunstable Hospital - Children's Ward

The Children’s Unit at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital cares for around 10,000 babies, children and teenagers every year, with the ability to treat around 60 inpatients everyday.

Having to spend time in Hospital, whether it’s a day or a month, is not enjoyable for anyone but it’s particularly distressing for children. Various studies show that a positive healing environment can improve both the speed and quality of a patient's recovery by up to 10%. Children are most comfortable and relaxed when at home. By trying to recreate this homely environment and surround them by ‘normal’ things makes it much easier for them to settle in.

Our dedicated playroom, called The Treehouse, is home to lots of fantastic toys and equipment to help keep children of all ages and abilities interested and distracted. A team of play specialists encourage play and learning through games and activities.

The dedicated sensory area for those children with special needs has recently been updated to provide a bigger more interactive area for a children to use.

Some of the other things your donations have helped fund include:

- The refurbishment of the Children's Critical Care Rooms.

- A new sensory voyager.

- A donation of a Magic Carpet Projector.

The Treehouse gives children time on their own where they can forget about the medical treatment they’re having and simply enjoy playing.

An enthusiastic team in the school room help those children who would normally be in school. By organising activities and working through the school curriculum it helps make sure that children are not missing out on their school work and are still experiencing some sense of normality.

The team relies on your generous donations to buy extra medical equipment, toys and other comfort items above NHS provisions. This helps ensure that a child's stay is made as comfortable and fun as possible, ultimately resulting in improvements to their responsiveness to treatments.

If you would also like to make a physical donation to the children's ward you can do this via the Amazon Wish List below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/2P9OU64923MY4/ref=cm_wl_huc_view

Everything purchased on this wish list comes straight to the Charity where we then pass it on to the Playroom where every donation is greatly appreciated.

If you would like to find out more about the Children’s Unit or fundraising for other areas within the Hospital please feel free to contact the Fundraising Team on 01582 718 289 or email fundraising@ldh.nhs.uk

Thank you for your support🧡💙