Authors (including presenting author) :
Ng YH(1), Fong WM(2), Chak WK(2), Lee YC(2), Chang V(2), Kwong L(2), Cheuk HKE(1), Au Yeung TW(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Community Services Centre, TMH (2) Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Department, TMH
Introduction :
Both epileptic children with SEN and carers suffer from stress induced from epilepsy, social life and schooling, in which will put them at increased risk of emotional, behavioral and cognitive disturbance or disorder. A pilot trial parallel therapeutic group was conducted on August 2018 for TMH PAED Epilepsy Children with SEN and carers with adopting intervention approaches of music therapy, recovery model and narrative therapy
Objectives :
The therapeutic parallel group is aimed at stress management, managing difficult emotions, improving the QoL and facilitating positive coping toward epileptic by both epileptic children with SEN and their carers.A pilot parallel group “ Making Fun with Music (伴樂小組) ” was conducted with referral from PAED Neurologist. Total 7 epileptic children (aged 6 to 14) and 6 parents joined 7 individual sessions with 45 attendance (4 for patient group, 2 for parent group and 1 combined session), from 7.8.2018 to 31.8.2018 inclusively. Two fixed volunteers helped to support the music therapist during music therapy sessions.
Methodology :
The parallel group structure, 90 minutes per group session, was adopted. PAED neurology specialty nurse, social worker and music therapist ( as volunteers ) played the role of group leaders. Intervention approach of music therapy, exploration strengths of epileptic children via discussion of 10 elements of recovery model, managing fear and anxiety via making fear box via narrative therapy, and sing-a-writing song combined session were adopted. Face scale (faces with difficult emotions/fears and joyful mood in gradual change) was used to assess children’ mood before and after the individual sessions. Children and carers also filled in feedback form for service evaluation purpose after the combined group session.
Result & Outcome :
To summarize the evaluation outcome, epileptic children felt bright and positive by choosing the joyful face in four music therapy sessions. They keep on using their DIY Fear Box to manage fear / anxiety from epilepsy afterward. Both epileptic children and carers found the therapeutic process positive and valuable. They felt more relaxed, motivated, enthusiastic to participate group sessions, and suggested to prolong the whole therapy period. It is suggested to pilot patient empowerment project by adopting music therapy, recovery model and narrative therapy for PAED patients and carers for alleviating stress, managing emotions and facilitating positive coping to PAED illnesses and improve their QoL ultimately
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