An otorhinolaryngologist passionate about caring for children, Leandro Guimarães, from the city of Divinópolis, in the interior of Minas Gerais, recently went viral on the internet when he showed how he seeks to reassure the surgical processes of small patients.
Using costumes bought by the doctor especially for these moments, the children become superheroes and the moment of tension turns into joy. The post had seven million views on Instagram as of Tuesday (1).
“We know that there will be physical pain, the postoperative period is always difficult, but knowing that what marked the child was not that is very good, the gift I receive”, said Leandro in an interview with CNN .
The “father of Clarinha and Murilo”, as he calls himself on his Instagram profile, reports that he always knew he wanted to work with children and that the viral video is just the tip of the iceberg in the practice of humanized care.
In March of this year, Leandro shared his technique with the world by publishing a video that shows the children going to the operating room dressed in capes and masks of superheroes like Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Wonder Woman.
In the recording to the sound of the song “Stand By Me”, by Ben E. King, the doctor takes the children’s hands, places them in his lap and makes them “fly over” the hospital. Internet users were delighted with the attitude and filled the publication with more than 16,000 comments.
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Leandro says that the area of pediatrics has been his interest since he entered college. The passion was also added to other projects he carried out with children during the time he studied medicine.
“I started participating in a group called Saracura, which is like a doctors of joy, it was there that I learned how to deal with children, and try to make the hospital stay as calm as possible. I learned a lot of theater technique, a lot more focused on clowning, that helps me until today”.
“It was there that I began to enjoy working with children more and more, making this contact with the doctor not traumatic, using toys, games, even thinking about the way to talk, looking into the child’s eyes, thus establishing a relationship security,” he added.
The otorhinolaryngologist’s special care does not only occur during surgery, as shown in the famous video, his office and the conversation with parents and children are light and playful at all times. “Being able to make the experience of a medical consultation, an exam and even a surgery as less traumatic as possible is what moves me and makes my heart warm”, he reports.
Leandro claims to be equipped with a humanized service that has the help of many toys and conversation.
“I always prioritize the conversation with the child in the office, trying to get them to talk a lot. At that moment I can already understand how her breathing, speech, hearing, and I already do the physical exam while I’m playing with her. I have toys like alligator dinosaur, puppet, and sometimes I joke that I’m examining the toys. I let her examine it too.”
According to the professional, the secret to serving the little ones is not to be trapped and think that children are more entertained with fantasy elements.
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How did the viral idea come about?
Superheroes were always present at consultations. “I always joked with the children a lot about this, saying that Spider-Man had come to the office, and that I saw all the superheroes. Then I started to want to improve the child’s relationship with the hospital, the surgical part.
Leandro reveals that the decisive moment to implement a new way of dealing with the surgical block was when he walked in with a little girl crying a lot in his lap. “I promised myself that I would never go through that again. That he would never take it from his mother’s lap again to enter that way”.
One day he saw an ad for capes and costumes at a good price and ordered them to try on with the children. Soon he noticed that the tension of the little ones improved. “I gave them the opportunity to choose the costume they wanted, I quickly saw that it helped a lot”.
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The attitude also has a good impact on those responsible for the children. “We see that the parents are much calmer, they can see that the child is not suffering before the surgery”, says Leandro. The professional also emphasizes an equally safe consultation, which does not leave parents with doubts about his work and his technique.
“This also helps the parents to be less nervous and they pass on more security to the child”, he says.
Leandro says that the result of his playful ideas is the greatest gift he receives.
“The most exciting comeback is about those kids who don’t mind if you tell them they need surgery again. I’ve already received some reports from children who want it again, or who are going to operate on something else and ask about me and if there will be fantasy, “she says. “They don’t even ask if it’s going to hurt, it’s the gift I get”.
The doctor is happy that the video’s high reach has generated inspiration for others. “What I think was good about this viralization was encouraging more people to do the same. Many people from many parts of Brazil sent me a message thanking them, saying that they had no idea how to make the process less traumatic and that now they were inspired ”, he concludes.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
