As one of 27 certified children’s specialists employed by Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn and its sister hospital in Park Ridge, Annie Myren employs a variety of creative strategies to help children with serious illnesses cope with treatments and tests.

For “Child Life Month” last March, Myren and others organized a week-long celebration that included a Teddy Bear Clinic.

“We set up teddy bears at different medical stations,” Myren said. The idea was for children to see a toy bear having an IV, an x-ray, or having its temperature taken, just like they would do.

“We’re here to help kids understand what’s going to happen, what they can expect, to help make the procedures a lot less scary,” Myren said. “We also support the whole family: parents and siblings.”

Of course, the children stayed with the bears.

Beyond helping children experience joy and feel calmer, Advocate child life specialists help them navigate medical procedures that sometimes come with a dose of discomfort.

These may include blood draws, MRIs, X-rays, health monitoring, and the application of peripherally inserted central catheters used to administer intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and other medications.

On any given day, Myren and other child life specialists encourage children undergoing these procedures to blow bubbles, read I-Spy books, play on iPads, take deep breaths or simply chat with loved ones.

Recently, the hospital acquired another form of distraction that for some children seems to surpass all others: a virtual reality system created by KindVR.

“Is popular. The kids get excited and ask for it,” Myren said. “I feel like it’s an activity that definitely connects with certain kids.”

For a fourth-grader who recently finished his chemotherapy treatments, KindVR was a turning point.

“When I had virtual reality on, it helped me a lot,” said Emiliano Covarrubias, of Chicago’s West Beverly neighborhood. “It felt relaxing. “I felt like I wasn’t here.”

Which means a lot, because instead of squirming uncomfortably during the necessary dressing changes for his central venous catheter, Emiliano was able to sit still and the whole unpleasant business was over before he knew it.

“It definitely makes this a more positive experience,” Myren said.

On a recent check-up visit, Emiliano was more than happy to demonstrate KindVR, putting on one of the headsets and picking up one of the controls.

The device offers three virtual programs: one with a safari theme, another that offers an aquatic experience, and another that supports meditation. KindVR can also simulate what it’s like to undergo an MRI.

Emiliano chose the aqua experience. With his parents and Myren close to him, he sat quietly in an examination chair. As they talked, he entered an underwater world inhabited by a variety of sea creatures swimming among ancient ruins.

By clicking the buttons on the KindVR controller and pointing it up, down, diagonally, and side to side, Emiliano sent streams of colored bubbles toward clownfish, cuttlefish, stingrays, and dolphins, turning them bright neon colors: yellow, gold, green, turquoise, purple and red.

The seals and several species of whales maintained their natural colors when sprayed by the bubbles, but still appeared to light up.

The soft calls of the orcas made Emiliano smile. So did the appearance of a creature that seemed a little more attractive than the rest, Happy the Seal.

This all happened thanks to a $57,000 contribution from Constellation Energy Corporation in Braceville, southwest of Joliet.

The company hosts an annual Fishing for a Cure fundraising tournament on Braidwood Lake. Chris Boblak, a long-time tournament volunteer and Braidwood Generating Station employee, understood the positive impact of the event on charities and nominated Advocate Children’s Hospital as a beneficiary of the 2022 proceeds.

Boblak’s own son, Dominic, was admitted to the hospital in 2020. While there, he benefited from the hospital’s Creative Arts Therapies program, which offered games, art projects and even magic shows for him and other patients.

With Constellation’s donation, Advocate Children’s Hospital chose to add a technological approach to connecting with patients. Five KindVR headsets were made available to children receiving treatment at the hospital’s Oak Lawn and Park Ridge locations.

The devices can be adjusted to fit patients whether they are sitting or lying down. Facial pads can also be disinfected and replaced between uses.

Emiliano, like many other children, enjoys technology and video games. At home he plays Fortnite and Minecraft with his father, Xavier Covarrubias, who works for a technology firm that develops technological solutions for companies. He seemed pleased to witness how KindVR helped his son.

“I thought it was pretty good,” he said. “It’s a form of technology that really helps children with their hospital experiences.”

According to the company’s website, more than 70 hospitals routinely use KindVR therapy with their patients.

Still, child life specialists will likely continue to maintain certain low-tech approaches to connecting with patients, such as card games.

“Emiliano plays a bad game of Uno,” Myren said.

“I am very happy to have come here,” said Maricela Suárez, Emiliano’s mother. “Everyone has been very helpful and welcoming. The level of commitment has been top-notch.”

Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.