November 20, 2023

Let’s welcome facility dog Crosby and handler Shelby to Texas Children’s! Read more

July 5, 2023

We have five facility dogs in our Pawsitive Play program – Angus, Bailey, Cohen, Pinto and Pluto. You may have seen their smiling faces around our campuses. They’re often referred to as therapy dogs, which are different. Texas Children’s actually has a group of volunteer therapy dogs who visit patients every other week and are trained to be friendly and provide comfort to all types of people through physical and emotional affection.

Our facility dogs are trained to provide goal-oriented therapeutic interventions and emotional support for hospitalized children as well as their families and our staff, and they are full-time employees of the hospital.

They each have an animal assisted therapy coordinator or more informally, a facility dog handler. You may have seen their smiling faces as well. If you want to learn more about the roles of the dog handlers, please click here for our recent story on Connect. Together, they work as a team providing patient care.

When it comes to the specific duties each dog performs, overall, the handlers determine the areas that would benefit most from having a facility dog present. Patient population, consults and events happening all factor into what jobs each dog will do, but most importantly, each facility dog’s behavior, size, personality, temperament and skills help the handlers assess where to assign them.

PLUTO
“Pluto was chosen to work in the outpatient clinics because he is very social and curious. He loves walking up to new people in the hallways and exploring new rooms, which is perfect because we meet new people every day in the different clinics we cover,” said Hanna Kuhn, Pluto’s handler. “He is also our biggest dog which makes him easy for patients to reach from their exam bed, so he is able to provide support while they pet him during their procedures.”

As an example of his support during outpatient procedures, during botox injections in the physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) clinic, Hanna will place a chair next to the exam bed and ask Pluto to climb up and sit next to the patient. During the procedure, she provides developmentally appropriate information and support while encouraging the patient to pet Pluto during their injection or play with his toys between pokes. This is a good distraction while they focus their attention on Pluto instead of the procedure. At the end of their injections, Pluto will hop off the chair and they can re-engage in petting him and pick out which Pluto sticker they want to take with them.

ANGUS
Meg Gustafson works with Angus at West Campus. They provide coping support at the bedside and often co-treat with physical therapy. They seek out patients who need to ambulate and are either too scared or simply just don’t want to get out of bed.

Angus walks alongside the patient, or they can use a special leash so they can physically walk him around the hospital, and he will adjust his pace accordingly. This gives patients the confidence and encouragement to move knowing Angus is beside them.

When co-treating with physical therapy, he can play fetch with a patient who is working on their fine and gross motor skills. It doesn’t feel like work to them, but it gives the physical therapist a good indication of progress.

Other times, Angus does the work the patient is doing – when they stand, he stands and when they sit, he sits. When working on reaching and balance, Meg positions Angus an appropriate distance from the patient, and they have to reach over to pet him. Angus also helps normalize the hospital environment – he knows how to play Kerplunk and hide-n-seek, does a reading hour in the library on Wednesdays, and loves time in the playroom with his friends.

PINTO
Shelby Bonnet is Pinto’s handler. They focus on acute care and provide a lot of coping support at the bedside and co-treat with physical and occupational therapy, especially in the inpatient rehab unit. One of the things Pinto does really well based on his training is reading the needs of his patients and adjusting his energy level accordingly.

They often go on walks around the unit to encourage patients to ambulate after surgery. Patients are often cautious to move after surgery and take it slowly, but having Pinto next to them provides confidence and encouragement to take the next steps. Pinto does a great job of adjusting his speed so he is not pulling the patient while they are working on their balance.

Pinto also demonstrates patience when they work on fine and gross motor skills by using a brush to practice brushing his fur. Pinto lays on their bed while his patients are meeting their occupational therapy goals. On the other hand, Pinto is our most loyal fetch player and loves to chase after a ball thrown by a patient when it is more appropriate for him to show his energetic side.

BAILEY
Adair Winget and her dog Bailey work in the PICU and the Heart Center with our most critical patients. Bailey was chosen to work in this environment because of her small size and energy level. One of our sleepiest and snuggliest dogs. Bailey’s energy level is a perfect match for patients who are critically ill and able to pet her gently while she is snuggled next to them in their beds.

Once Adair gets her in place, Bailey will stay sleeping next to her patient for as long as they need. These attributes also allow her to lay safely next to her patients who have multiple lines, chest tubes, catheters, drains, etc. without risk of pulling them out since she will stay still in the bed.

Bailey also comforts patients in palliative care and provides therapeutic and emotional support at end of life. She is able to snuggle with them and take on their emotional burden, which allows them to die peacefully, knowing their friend was with them. Her colleagues agree Adair does a great job of supporting patients in these situations as well as taking care of Bailey to support her recovery so she is able to continue giving her energy to all her patients.

COHEN
CJ Canlas and her dog Cohen work at The Woodlands campus primarily in outpatient therapy, inpatient units (acute care and PICU) and outpatient clinics. CJ loves using Cohen to help support patients in meeting the goals of their care plan, which can vary from day to day.

Cohen can help motivate patients to walk after surgery or provide a supportive presence after a patient receives a new diagnosis. CJ also collaborates with her therapy team to think of creative ways to support their patients’ goals. In physical therapy, he engages the patient during their exercises, in speech therapy, he provides a non-judgmental presence while patients practice their sounds and read to him, and in occupational therapy, he supports sensory regulation and modeling tasks when the patients practice brushing his hair. They also collaborate with our occupational therapy team to give Cohen a role in feeding therapy – this is where Cohen shines!

These dogs have important jobs to do and make a real impact on our patients. Next time you run into one of our handlers and their facility dogs, please ask the handler first if it’s okay for you to interact with the dog, understanding they may be wiped out from patient interactions and need to recharge. Any interaction, even just to stop and say hi, takes energy. They love to greet everyone they meet, but need to make sure they conserve the majority of their energy for patients.

February 15, 2023

Child Life hosted a fun-filled Valentine’s Day party for patients in The Zone with goodie bags, cookie decorating and a visit from Pluto and Bailey! Check out the photo gallery.

January 26, 2023

Music Therapy at Texas Children’s started in 2013 with a single music therapist in the NICU and inpatient rehabilitation unit – marking the beginnings of a nationally-accredited program that celebrates a decade of changing lives through music in 2023.

Fast-forward 10 years and you’ll find a Music Therapy program at its largest and most impressive, serving more patients and families than ever before with compassionate, evidence-based practice. Texas Children’s now has three board-certified music therapists on staff at the Medical Center campus covering inpatient Acute Care, Critical Care, and Neonatal ICU, and one board-certified music therapist serving the Intensive Outpatient Program.

Harnessing the healing power of music

There are countless forms of music therapy that can facilitate therapeutic outcomes and motivate children to heal their bodies, brains, and hearts. For example, interventions like contingent singing can decrease overstimulation and positively affect weight gain and growth in critically-ill infants. This is how our Music Therapy team is leading research in the field, having recently submitted for publication the first-ever study exploring co-treatment of music therapy and occupational therapy in the NICU.

There’s no doubt that a hospital stay can be taxing both physically and mentally. Given the extended length of an average ICU admission, many patients become desensitized to normal sounds and lights due to dysregulated sleep patterns. “With structured multi-sensory stimulation, I’m able to re-introduce appropriate auditory stimulation to my patients in a calming way so that they can develop regulation,” said music therapist Hillary Gómez. “It’s also a great intervention to use with patients who are sedated or on paralytics.”

Celebrating legacy

In 2018, our music therapists joined forces with art therapy and media services to create the Child Life Department’s Creative & Therapeutic Arts Program – setting out to enrich the lives of our children and families through innovative therapies and projects like Be Like Molly Mae, an annual hospital-wide creative arts camp inspired by a former patient.

“Some of my favorite memories are from Be Like Molly Mae camp, which is filled with music, art, and media activities for all our patients to participate in,” said music therapist Maribeth Brinkley. “This past year we had a secret agent theme, culminating in a special musical performance centered around hope and the holiday season.”

The music doesn’t stop there! Our beloved staff Ukulele Choir was born out of the Music Therapy program and practices weekly to prepare for performances and annual “care-o-ling“ around the hospital, lifting the spirits of patients and visitors.

Program milestones

According to music therapist Marial Biard, the Music Therapy team is working toward being adequately staffed with the American Music Therapy Association’s (AMTA) recommended minimum ratio of one music therapist to every 100 patient beds.

When asked where she sees the program in 10 more years, Biard said “we will also be pillars of care in our West Campus and Woodlands hospitals, leading significant research efforts that recognize the efficacy of music therapy co-treatment, pain mitigation, and patient experience.”

Join us in celebrating A Decade of Song all year long with program highlights, patient stories, and blog posts from our music therapists – as well as reflections on milestones from the past 10 years that include:

  • 2013 – Music Therapy program formed for NICU and inpatient rehab patients
  • 2014 – Music Therapy receives NICU research grant from AMTA
  • 2015 – Clinical internship created, expanding services
  • 2015 – Staff Ukulele Choir formed
  • 2016 – Heartbeat recordings garner significant media coverage
  • 2018 – Creative & Therapeutic Arts Program formed
  • 2018 – $75,000 donation from Robinson Foundation to increase access to music programming
  • 2021 – Elise’s Legacy Library published, becoming award-winning pediatric tool for mindfulness and mental wellness
  • 2021 – First “Be Like Molly Mae” camp
  • 2022 – Behavioral Health music therapist hired

To learn more about the Ukulele Choir or Good Grief Group, our music therapy support group for staff who experience grief in their roles, please email musictherapy@texaschildrens.org.

April 7, 2022

It’s been more than five impactful years since the Pawsitive Play Program started at Texas Children’s, breaking ground as the first program of its kind in the Texas Medical Center.

With the generous support of Judy and Bobby Shakouls, our first therapy dog, Elsa, and her handler and Child Life Specialist Sarah Herbek became pioneers – forging a path that would leave a lasting imprint on nearly 2,000 patients and their families in more than 12,000 bedside interventions.

Now 7 years old, Elsa will retire from Texas Children’s on April 8 and take Herbek with her. It’s a bittersweet goodbye for everyone the duo has encountered during their service, including many team members across the organization.

“Over the years with Elsa by my side, I have been inspired by the thousands of patients and families we’ve met and so grateful to have become part of their journeys,” said Herbek, who had been a child life specialist for two years when she learned about funding for the new animal-assisted therapy program and found Elsa.

After completing a year-and-a-half of training, the pair were ready to begin helping patients in acute care.

“I have witnessed incredible resiliency that oftentimes I wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen it myself,” Herbek said. “There is truly nothing I am more proud of than the growth and the impact of the Pawsitive Play Program. Years from now, I hope our wonderful patients and families will think back on their time at Texas Children’s Hospital and remember that in their darkest days, the love of a golden retriever made their experience just a little bit easier.”

‘The Magic of Elsa’

After piloting the program, Herbek and the Child Life team learned more about Elsa’s temperament and found she would be ideally suited to work with patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and eventually Oncology, where Elsa has spent close to five years caring for those in need.

In fact, Elsa and Herbek dedicated their last three weeks at Texas Children’s entirely to our pediatric cancer patients – sitting with them, keeping them calm and bringing joy to stressful days.

“By the time I meet the child, they have usually come through the emergency center, been poked and prodded and told that something is very wrong. Everything is new and unfamiliar. The sounds, the smells, the people in scrubs who keep coming into a room that looks sterile and nothing like home,” Herbek said. “They fear the unknown or worse, what they have just learned and oftentimes at this point they begin to shut down. But then Elsa walks in the room.

“The mood of the room immediately changes. Suddenly they see something familiar. Something friendly. Something that feels like home. Elsa hops up in their bed and they feel safe. This interaction changes everything. Many times, this is the first time their parents will see their child smile since walking through the hospital doors,” she said.

That was the case for the Vigil family, whose 14-year-old daughter, Christiana, has greatly benefitted from the comfort provided by Elsa and Herbek throughout multiple hospitalizations and a recent bone marrow transplant at Texas Children’s.

“Our daughter has spent many months in the hospital since her diagnosis with the most recent stay being 70 days straight which included Christmas and New Year’s,” said Keri Vigil, Christian’s mother. “There were times that Sarah and Queen Elsa were the only thing that brought a smile to Christiana’s face. ?They will forever hold a special place in our hearts and we will be forever grateful for all they have done for our daughter.”

Herbek refers to it as “the magic of Elsa.”

“Elsa becomes their loyal friend. One who is not judgmental of how they look when they lose their hair, the new scar they have or that they use a wheelchair now when it’s too painful to walk,” Herbek said. “There will be bumps along the way, but there is never a doubt that during their stay, they will see her wet nose push open their hospital room door as she makes her way to their beds.

“Elsa is there to see them through their whole journey. The good days, the bad days, the days when even she can’t help. She’s there. She will be there with them until the end because she has become part of the family.”

A fond farewell

With Elsa’s departure, therapy dogs Bailey, Pinto and Pluto will fill Elsa’s paw prints at the Medical Center campus and ensure our patients receive ongoing love and attention. Other therapy dogs in our system include Cohen at The Woodlands hospital campus, and our newest member, Angus, who joined West Campus in December 2021.

Among the canines’ biggest fans are their two-legged colleagues – many of whom have poured out messages of love and support for Elsa and Sarah in the days leading up to their departure. You can leave your own well-wishes and sweet words of good-bye by clicking HERE.

“Sarah and Elsa – you have bettered so many lives throughout your time with Texas Children’s. I am so grateful that I was able to spend time with you both. Thank you for bringing so many smiles to the faces of our patients, their families and staff. Congratulations to you, and enjoy retirement! People may forget many things such as names, titles and words but “people will never forget how you made them feel.”…. We love you!,” wrote Kelsey Mihm.

“Dear Sarah and Elsa, you have pioneered AAT at TCH and your legacy will forever touch patients, families and staff for decades to come. Wishing you love, happiness, peace, rest, and bountiful joy on your next adventures,” wrote Jess Casas.

“Elsa, some people say that dogs don’t belong in hospitals, but then neither do children. It was really cool working in a hospital with a dog like you whose sole purpose was to cheer patients up. And you sure did the job, from what I hear. We’ll miss you! Have a happy “retirement” and enjoy taking a great big nap every day. You did good,” wrote Jerry Miller.

For more information about Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, click here.

March 30, 2022

As the first therapy dog ever at Texas Children’s, lovable Elsa and her animal-assisted therapy coordinator Sarah Herbek made the Pawsitive Play Program a welcome reality for thousands of patients and their families.

POST YOUR WELL WISHES ON SPECIAL YAMMER PAGE

Now is your chance to shower Elsa and Sarah with thanks and well-wishes before they retire and leave Texas Children’s on April 8!

Just CLICK HERE to post kind words and sweet memories to the Yammer page dedicated to their farewell – photos and videos included.

If you’re not familiar with Yammer or have not used the platform before, it’s easy to get started! Simply follow these steps to leave your goodbye note:

  • Below the images, click “Conversations” and you’ll see your picture alongside a prompt to “Start a discussion” or “Share thoughts, ideas or updates.”
  • Click in that space to type your message and/or upload attachments, photos or a video using the icons below the message box. You can even record a video from your phone and upload it to the page.
  • Once you’re done, press “Post” and your message will appear in the feed.
  • You can also like or comment on other posts that interest you.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to HR Communications. Let’s fill up the feed and send Elsa and Sarah off with lots of love and support from all their furriends at Texas Children’s!

Be sure to also check back on Connect in the coming days for a detailed story and special tribute to Elsa and Sarah.

February 16, 2022

Texas Children’s furriest team members paraded through the halls of the Heart Center at the Medical Center campus to help make it a “pawsitively” lovely Valentine’s Day for our cardiology patients and their families.

Therapy dogs Elsa, Bailey, Pinto and Pluto brought holiday cards, festive beaded necklaces and even a few kisses to children throughout Legacy Tower, including stops to visit the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) and Adult Congenital Heart Program.

Six-year-old patient Kyleigh Ward said she was very excited to see her best friend Bailey during the special Valentine’s Day parade. Kyleigh has been hospitalized at Texas Children’s for nearly 150 days awaiting a much-needed heart transplant.

“We love the dogs,” said Kyleigh’s mother, Briancca. “It was very therapeutic to see them come around and spend time with the families. … I’m glad Kyleigh had a good time. I had a good time, too.”

The four golden retrievers are the heart of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, which is designed to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital. Along with Angus at West Campus and Cohen at The Woodlands campus, the dogs are specially bred and trained to work full-time as service dogs in a pediatric setting alongside our child life specialists.

“The Child Life Heart Center team and Animal-Assisted Therapy team came together to make the dog parade happen, and I’m so happy it went well,” said Victoria Ramos, child life activity coordinator.

“My role is to bring normalization and play to patients and families while they are in the hospital,” she said. “Bringing in the AAT dogs makes the job even more special. … What could be more fun than a parade where we come together and create fun memories for patients and their families?”