Therapy for children – child patients at Janské Lázně can use an interesting therapeutic method. It is based on the unique environment of the multi-sensory room snoezelen.
The term “Snoezelen” is a combination of two Dutch words “snuffelen” (to smell) and “doezelen” (to doze, linger, relax). This therapeutic concept originated in the 70s in the Netherlands and was founded by Mr. Ad Verheul and his colleagues who worked with disabled patients. Ad Verheul and his colleagues tried to activate and make life more enjoyable for his disabled patients with aids made of various materials, shapes and colors. Based on their reactions, he began to build specially equipped places for clients and developed the concept itself.
Snoezelen is a specially equipped relaxation room that looks a bit like something out of a fairy tale. It is full of colors, different lights, shadows, and unusual objects of various shapes and materials.
Staying in the space provides children with multisensory stimulation, i.e. stimulation of touch, hearing, sight, smell and taste. In addition, it also helps to calm down, induce relaxation and gain new personal experiences. Based on staying in the room, clients create pleasant associations with the environment and the therapist, they relax better, which has a significant effect on their psyche (stress relief) and subsequently on their overall health.
The therapy, lasting 45 minutes, is carried out with the little patient by an experienced occupational therapist. In Snoezelen, mutual trust between them is strengthened. The patient relaxes and unwinds in a pleasant atmosphere, induced by light stimulation, heat, music and other stimuli. At the same time, unusual stimuli and the guidance of the therapist activate him/her to various forms of movement and discover the peculiarities of the environment. Staying in the room positively affects health, calms, evokes feelings of security, safety, trust, but also awakens interest, activates and evokes new associations and experiences. In general, it can be said that the Snoezelen concept improves the quality of life not only for the clients themselves, but also for their families.
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