Not all healthcare programmes that take place at the Hospital are publicly-funded. Our commitment to offering the best healthcare possible requires us, in some cases, to turn to wider society to make long-term sustainable healthcare a reality.
Child Life specialists: the importance of fighting fear before an operation
With a view to answering questions and doubts that patients and their families have, our healthcare provision team is trained in the Child Life emotional care method, originating the United States. They use play and games along with other techniques to help the child understand what is going to be done to them, ensuring that their operation experience is less traumatic.
Programme for complex chronic patients
Some children suffer from chronic, complex and very severe illnesses that require specific care. That is why the Palliative Care and Complex Chronic Patient Department launched the C2P2 programme, in which participating patients have a dedicated case manager. This manager knows in-depth details about each case, allowing for comprehensive caregiving both from a clinical point of view, as well as a psychological, social and spiritual viewpoint. Furthermore, participants have rapid access to the services they need, and when possible, at-home care.
Pediatric Pain Unit
Many diseases cause chronic pain from infancy, which can be debilitating and hugely limit the child’s life. Moreover, many in-hospital procedures can also cause short-term pain and severe discomfort for young patients. To tackle any cases of pain and make measuring pain yet another routine step within our centre, the professionals working in this unit are trained in pediatrics, psychology, anesthesiology and nursing.
For listening and sharing how we feel
Families need somewhere to talk about how they are feeling. They need to talk about emotions, their worries and anxieties regarding their child's disease. Through the 'Sentim' programme, as well as being able to express their feelings, parents are attended by a team of professionals who can really help them through their current circumstances.
Mental health in children and adolescents: a key priority
Mental health issues are highly stigmatised, and come with a great deal of emotional baggage for both patients and their families. For children and adolescents, these issues are particularly concerning, as they affect several areas in their life at a crucial point in their development, such as their personal, academic, and social lives and the overall adolescence process.
These illnesses often present higher risk of suicidal behaviour, a predisposition to substance abuse and addiction, higher-risk sexual behaviours and more frequent social isolation and school absenteeism.
The SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is aware of how important it is to approach the topic of mental health from all angles. That is why we have several non-subsidised healthcare projects in place to care for these patients.
Mental health
TEVIST: it is still violence when you are a witness
One in five children tended to at our mental health unit has witnessed violence at home. The repercussions of witnessing violence at the hands of a loved one can have devastating effects: post-traumatic stress disorder, social problems, isolation, poor school performance and repeated behavioural issues. The TEVIST programme aims to detect all potential cases, improve diagnosis and offer the best treatment possible to these children.
Suicidal Behaviour Unit
Every five days, a minor in Spain commits suicide. That is between 60 and 70 every year. Of these minors, around 10 or 12 of them are under the age of 14. Suicide in young people is an often forgotten reality which, here at the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we treat with particular care and attention. This is especially true after the alarming increase in attempts resulting from the pandemic. The Suicidal Behaviour Unit was founded in 2013 to help young people who wish to, and try to, take their own life.
Acompanya’m, caring for children and adolescents with severe mental disorders
This is the first therapeutic, educational and care-providing resident centre in Spain to treat children and adolescents with severe mental disorders arising from a clinical, familial or social vulnerability. Its intended purpose is to help young people recuperate and reintegrate into their environment, avoiding stigma and social exclusion. To do this, the unit offers personalised, community-based treatment that integrates clinical, family, social and educational aspects.
Childhood and Adolescent Addictive Behaviour Unit
Suffering from an addiction disorder during adolescence has been linked to several issues, such as medical, mental health, academic and family, and is a huge challenge for everyone in the patient's life. The Addictive Behaviour Unit was founded in 2007 with the primary aim of tackling drug use in the adolescent population. In recent years, however, the number of cases of technology addiction has increased exponentially. At the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we adapt ourselves to the needs of our patients and their families.
Caring for adolescents with mental disorders who are at risk of social exclusion
Adolescence is a critical period with regard to the onset of severe mental disorders or their worsening. During this period, living in a vulnerable social or family situation as well as a poorly-structured environment leads to the mental condition worsening. As a result, the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital has an individualised monitoring programme (IMP) and an at-home support programme to assess the needs of both the young person and their family so steps can be taken to improve the quality of life, personal autonomy and social inclusion of these adolescents.
Study on the development of psychosis among children and adolescents
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are severe, chronic diseases that often begin in adolescence or early adulthood. At the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we are carrying out a research project that aims to find the characteristics and factors that best predict psychosis among children and adolescents. Identifying adolescents who are likely to develop the disease before it manifests allows us to delay onset or even prevent it altogether. Early detection is key so we can offer the best possible treatment to our patients.
'Sí Familias': resources for family empowerment
Psychotic disorders that develop in childhood and adolescence cause a great deal of suffering and increased risk of social exclusion, both for patients and their families. The 'Sí Familias' programme offers psychological support to those closest to the affected patient so that they can make the most of the resources available to them. The aim is to empower families so they have the resources to handle their child’s illness.
Enllaçats Programme
This programme, created by the Multidisciplinary Unit of Autism Spectrum Disorder (UnimTEA), was founded to promote actions that improve the wellbeing of children on the autism spectrum and their family, in both a social and educational context. For this, we have created educational resources so that families have access to quality information, as well as specific training workshops. Furthermore, we are supporters of early detection, as well as encouraging social awareness campaigns in schools to increase awareness of autism among students and teachers.
Bite by Bite Programme
The Mental Health Department launched this innovative project to tend to children from 0 to 5 years old with avoidant restrictive food intake disorders (ARFID). If not treated properly from an early age, ARFID can have severe health repercussions.
Caring for HIV-positive patients
At the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we are there for children and adolescents with HIV throughout their journey, not only by providing the clinical care they need, but also the mental, emotional and social support. Our aim is to educate them on self-care and promote a safe, independent adult life. This programme also includes more than 300 children who, although they are not HIV-positive, are affected by the virus in some form within their family.
IPOU: the Integrative Pediatric Oncology Unit
The IPOU was launched in 2019 as a way of offering holistic, patient-oriented care to children with cancer. It operates with strict scientific rigor and follows medical criteria to reduce pain, anxiety and drug toxicity, and ultimately, improve their quality of life. It is the first unit of its kind in Spain, as well as on a European level, as in our centre, complementary treatments (including acupuncture, essential oils, reflexology, etc.) are fully integrated into a patient’s therapeutic plan and overall treatment approach.
Tackling childhood obesity from several angles
One in three children in Spain is overweight. These patients are at higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular issues, respiratory problems, etc. at some point in their lives. The Hospital has various initiatives such as 'Prevengo' [I Prevent] and 'Sumar per Restar' [Add to Take Away], to tackle childhood obesity from several angles, taking into account the lifestyles and eating habits of the children and their family.
