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Amanda Butterfield reporting It's going to take a while for twins Maliyah and Kendra Herrin to heal from their surgery, both physically and psychologically. To that end, social workers are helping the girls cope with the psychologically effects of their separation.
Because the girls are only four, folks at Primary Children's have been using a lot of play and toys to help them understand what's happening.
One of the major things they use is the "hospital buddy".
Holly Moss-Rosen/Child Life Specialist: "They're cloth dolls that don't have anything on them."
But they don't stay white for long. The kids are encouraged to make them personal. They can draw a face on it, even play doctor with it.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "Kids can use real needles, band aids, tape, this one has an IV."
And the dolls given to Kendra and Meliyah were connected at the pelvis.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "I actually stitched them together."
Having a Child Life Specialist work with young patients undergoing surgery takes away some of the fear.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "They're four, being in hospital is hard work."
Not only were the girls given hospital buddies, but they've been looking at pictures of the hospital to get familiar with it, and looking at medical equipment used in their surgery.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "They're bright girls, and they make sense out of their world, and if you don't give them information about what's happening, they'll make it up."
And because these girls are so young...
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "There's lots of toys for fun, cause fun, and four-years old like to play."
For example, this morning as they were wheeled to the surgery room, they were also on a scavenger hunt.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "The idea behind that was something diversional to help distract them from concerns and worries they had."
The girls will also work with Child Life Specialists after surgery, learning how to deal with being separated and having their own bodies. Just like pre-surgery, the goal is to make it fun.
Holly Moss-Rosen, Child Life Specialist: "Of course we'll play, because that's what kids do."
Interesting note -- Kendra almost immediately separated her hospital buddy and was very excited about it. It took a Meliya a little bit longer, but once she did, she was very excited. The point being, the girls did it when they were ready, and that's just fine.
