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Original Research
Slime as Playing Therapy on Response of Biological, Psycological and
Eating Behaviour of Preschool in Hospital
Maria Yasintha Seran, Ilya Krisnana, dan Praba Diyan Rachmawati
Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received: Feb 12, 2019
Accepted: April 11, 2019
KEYWORDS
play therapy; slime; biological
response; psychological
response; eating behavior
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Maria Yasintha Seran
maria.yashinta.seran-
2017@fkp.unair.ac.id
Faculty of Nursing, Universitas
Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java,
Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Slime is one of the toys that many kids like because it was adorable with a
variety of bright and colorful color variations. The purpose of this study was to determine
the effect of slime play therapy on biological, psychological, and eating behavior in
preschool children who undergo hospitalization in the Dahlia Room of RSUD Mgr. Gabriel
Manek, SVD Atambua.
Methods: This research used quasi experiment with post-test only non-equivalent
control group design. The total population was 90 patients with a sample size of 60
respondents, divided into 30 treatment groups and 30 control groups. The sample was
determined by consecutive sampling technique. The independent variable was slime play
therapy. The dependent variable was biological, psychological, and eating behavior. Data
were obtained by observation sheet and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ)
instrument and data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U Test.
Results: There were differences between the treatment group and the control group on
respiratory frequency (p=0.021), pulse frequency (p=0.002), stress (p=0.035), and eating
behavior (p=0.041).
Conclusion: Slime play therapy was an atraumatic care approach that can be used to
reduce stress level hospitalization, biological responses to normal, and eating behavior
to be good for children who were hospitalized.
Cite this as:
Seran, M. Y., Krisnana, I., & Rachmawati, P. D (2019). Slime as Playing Therapy on
Response of Biological, Psycological and Eating Behaviour of Preschool in
Hospital. Pediomaternal Nurs. J., 5(1), 17-24.
1. INTRODUCTION
The main stressors of hospitalization include
separation, loss of control, bodily injury, pain and the
most experienced is a decrease in even loss of
appetite during hospital treatment that can affect
biological responses (eating behavior, pulse and
respiration rate) and psychological (stressed
hospitalization) (1). Decrease or loss of appetite in
preschool children can be caused by several factors,
such as the hospital environment, menus provided by
the hospital and the absence of play facilities for
children (2). During the treatment process, children
need to play as a medium to reduce stress hospitalizes
and stimulate an increase in appetite in preschool
children who are hospitalized (1). Therapy plays in
the Dahlia Room of the RSUD MGR. Gabriel Manek,
Atambua SVD, has never been done before.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports
that 3-5 million children under 6 years of age were
hospitalized and stressed hospitalization and
decreased appetite during hospital treatment (3). The
results of the preliminary study were obtained in the
Dahlia Room of the RSUD MGR. Gabriel Manek,
Atambua SVD, obtained data that the number of
children treated in 2017 in August - December was as
many as 464 patients and in 2018 from January to
March as many as 90 patients. Data obtained from
RSUD Mgr. Gabriel Manek, Atambua SVD that in 2018
children who experienced a decrease in appetite by
79% and the majority of preschool children who were
treated experienced stress, often cried and did not
PEDIOMATERNAL
NURSING JOURNAL
Vol. 5, No. 1, Maret 2019
Journal Homepage: https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/PMNJ/
M. Y. SERAN ET AL.
18 | Volume 5 Issue 1 Maret 2019
want to eat food from hospitals and food bought by
parents outside the hospital.
Nurses and parents in caring for and providing
care for children who are cared for at the hospital are
required to be able to provide stimulating educational
and interesting games (4). One of the games that is
very popular with children is the slime game. For
children, playing slime is a fun activity that can train
sensory, motoric, and child psychology development.
The slime game can also reduce stress levels in
children. The benefits of slime games include making
children feel happier, as a means of channeling
children's emotions themselves, increasing children's
concentration, means of self-expression for children,
saturated release facilities that are effective for
children, making children more creative, and
improving their children's abilities (5). When pre-
school children were happy and the effects of the
euphoria of slime play will cause a large amount of
energy to be used in the child's body, the body will
provide a stimulus to the hypothalamus with a hungry
sensation (6).
The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that plays
an important role in regulating homeostasis
processes, including regulating behavior and appetite
(7). The hypothalamus accepts neural, endocrine and
metabolic signals, then integrates and uses various
effector pathways to cause behavioral, autonomic and
endocrine responses. In addition, the central
regulation of appetite and energy balance also
involves the nervous system extensively covering the
brain stem, cerebral cortex, olfactory area, and
hormones (8). Ghrelin is one of the hormones, namely
peptides with 28 amino acids which can cause an
increase in food intake and reduce the use of fat
reserves. Ghrelin stimulates the eating breath
through the feeding center in the hypothalamus (9).
Play needs for children are very important,
especially for children who are undergoing treatment
at the hospital. Playing is an activity that can stimulate
the growth and development of children both
physically and psychologically (10). Through playing
all aspects of a child's development it is grown so that
the child becomes healthier and smarter. Playing in
pre-school children has been shown to improve
mental development, intelligence, gross motoric and
fine motor skills (4). Children's thinking is stimulated
to utilize their emotional, social, and physical aspects.
Slime games are in accordance with the cognitive
development of pre-school age children (11). The
game is done using media tools and materials in the
process of making slime. Slime can be made in various
kinds of colorful containers and included in small,
shaped molds that are attractive to children. During
the process of making and playing using slime
children will feel happier, and can produce hormone
endorphins which can make children's moods
become happier and can increase appetite (5).
2. METHOD
2.1 Design
The research was a type of quasi experiment research
with a post-test only non-equivalent control group
design approach.
2.2 Population, sample, and sampling
The population in this study were all children treated
in the Dahlia Room of Mgr. Gabriel Manek, SVD
Atambua Hospital in January - March as many as 90
children. The sample in this study were 60 patients
with a division of 30 in the treatment group and 30 in
the control group and using purposive sampling.
2.3 Variables
The independent variable in this study was slime play
therapy. The dependent variables in this study were
biological response (frequency of respiration rate and
pulse), psychological response (stress
hospitalization) and feeding behavior of preschool
children.
2.4 Instruments
Child psychology response instruments during
hospitalization, using check list observation sheets
based on theory (Wong, 2008), that consists of 4
indicators: 1). The result of separation consists of 4
questions, 2). As a result of losing control consisting
of 4 questions, and due to bodily injury consisting of
4 questions. Yes score = 1, no = 0. If the value is ≥75%
(score ≥ 9) = maladaptive, and <75% (score <9) =
adaptive.
The Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ)
consists of 35 items consisting of 8 subscales, 1) food
responsiveness (FR), 2) enjoyment of food (EF), 3) the
desire to drink (DD), 4) satiety responsiveness (SR),
5) slowness in eating (SE), 6) food business (FF), 7)
emotional overeating (EOE), 8) emotional
undereating (EUE). Each category consists of 3-6
items of questions. In practice, parents are asked to
assess the eating behavior of their children using the
Linkert scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, and
always). CEBQ which has been translated into
Indonesian and tested the validity and reliability
using Cronbach's Alpha. Based on Cronbach's Alpha
test, the coefficient value was 0.605.
Pulse instruments use standard operational
procedures for measuring vital signs with normal
values. Pulse in pre-school children 65-110 times per
minute score used 0 = abnormal, 1 = normal.
The respiration rate instrument uses the standard
operational measurement of respiration rate or
respiration. Normal value of respiration rate in pre-
school children 20-25 times per minute (1) score
used 0 = Normal, 1 = abnormal.
PEDIOMATERNAL NURSING JOURNAL
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2.5 Analysis
This study was analyzed using the Mann Whitney U
Test with alpha 0.05
2.8 Ethical Clearance
This study has conducted a health research ethical
test at the Health Research Ethics Commission of the
Faculty of Nursing, Airlangga University with number
1210-KEPK on December 10, 2018.
3. RESULT
Distribution of respondents according to
demographic characteristics in the treatment and
control groups with a total of 60 children. The age of
children in the majority treatment group was 3 years
as many as 12 children (40%) and in the control
group the majority of children were 4 years as many
as 10 children (33.3%). The majority of the sexes in
the treatment and control groups were women with a
total of 18 children (60%). The majority of
respondents in both groups had a history of being
treated in the hospital as much as 1 time, namely in
the treatment group as many as 25 children (83.3%)
and controls as many as 26 children (86.7%). The
majority of children in both groups were guarded by
mothers and all respondents in both groups had good
relationships with their families. The majority of
children in the treatment group underwent treatment
in the hospital for 7 days, and in the control group was
8 days [Table 1].
In the treatment group all respondents (100%)
had a pulse in the range of the normal category (65-
110 x/m), namely in the treatment group as many as
30 children (100%) while in the control group the
majority were in the normal range of 27 children
(90%) But still 3 children (10%) found the pulse
range to be abnormal (below 65-110 bpm). The
results of data analysis in the treatment and control
groups showed that there were differences in the
results in the two groups carried out using the Mann-
Whitney U Test (p=0.021) [Table 2].
In the treatment group the majority of respiratory
frequencies were in the normal category (20-25 x/m),
which were 26 children (86.7%). However, in the
Table 1. Distribution of Respondents According to Demographic Characteristics in the Dahlia Room of Mgr.
Gabriel Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital in December 2018-January 2019
Characteristics
Treatment Group
Control Group
n
%
n
%
Age of child
1. 3 years
2. 4 years
3. 5 years
4. 6 years
12
7
8
3
40
23.3
26.7
10
6
10
8
6
20
33.3
26.7
20
Total
30
100
30
100
Gender
1. Male
2. Female
12
18
40
60
12
18
40
60
Total
30
100
30
100
Experience being treated in a hospital
1. 1 time
2. 2 times
25
5
83.3
16.7
26
4
86.7
13.3
Total
30
100
30
100
Families who look after children in hospitals
1. Mother
2. Father
3. Grand Father
4. Baby sitter
22
6
1
1
73.3
20
3.3
3.3
19
8
-
3
63.3
26.7
-
10
Total
30
100
30
100
Child relationship with family
1. Good
30
100
30
100
Total
30
100
30
100
Children are treated with a diagnosis:
1. Dengue fever
2. Gastroenteritis
3. Malaria
4. Pneumonia
5. Asthma
6. Anemia
6
5
5
5
3
6
20
16.7
16.7
16.7
10
20
5
4
4
6
4
7
16.7
13.3
13.3
20
13.3
23.3
Long treated at the hospital
1. 6 days
2. 7 days
3. 8 days
4. 9 days
9
11
7
3
30
36.7
23.3
10
3
7
15
5
10
23.3
50
16.7
Total
30
100
30
100
M. Y. SERAN ET AL.
20 | Volume 5 Issue 1 Maret 2019
control group most respiratory frequencies were
abnormal (below 20-25 x/m), which were 13 children
(43.3%). The results of data analysis in the treatment
and control groups showed that there were
differences in the results in the two groups carried
out using the Mann-Whitney U Test (p=0.002) [Table
3].
In both groups the majority of children's
psychological responses were adaptive, namely in the
treatment group as many as 25 children (83.3%) and
in the control group as many as 19 children (63.3%).
But most of the respondents in the non-adaptive
control group were 11 children (36.7%). The results
of data analysis in the treatment and control groups
showed that there were differences in the results in
the two groups carried out using the Mann-Whitney U
Test (p=0.035) [Table 4].
In the treatment group more than half of
respondents had good eating behavior as many as 19
children (63.3%) and in the control group the
majority of eating behavior was less than 17 children
(43.3%). The results of data analysis in the treatment
and control groups showed that there were
differences in the results in the two groups carried
out using the Mann-Whitney U Test (p=0.041).
4. DISCUSSION
The results of the study on pulse frequency showed
that there were differences in the results of biological
pulse responses between the treatment and control
groups. In the treatment group all respondents'
pulses were normal after being given intervention
with slime play therapy. Children who undergo
hospice will experience stress that can cause
abnormal pulse. By giving play therapy, children will
feel happy and entertained which will have a positive
effect on the normal pulse of the respondent. Playing
is an activity that can stimulate the growth and
development of children both physically and
psychologically (12).
Through playing all aspects of a child's
development it is grown so that the child becomes
healthier and smarter. Playing in pre-school children
has been shown to improve children's mental
development and intelligence (13). The main
stressors experienced from hospitalization include
separation, loss of control, bodily injury, pain and can
affect biological responses such as pulse rate,
respiratory frequency and eating behavior (1).So that
play facilities in the form of play therapy, can be given
by nurses to children who are undergoing treatment
at the hospital. The purpose of playing at the hospital
in principle is so that children can adapt more
effectively to stress. Slime is one of the games that
many kids like because it is chewy and adorable with
a variety of bright color variations (14).
Slime can be made in containers with various
colors and inserted in small prints so that it is
attractive to children. kids love slime because it is
chewy and adorable. For children, playing slime is a
fun activity. Children are very happy if they buy tools
for slime making by their parents. Playing slime helps
children learn while playing, can increase appetite for
children where children eat while playing. Playing
slime is also good for training psychological and
motoric development for children (15). Playing slime
can relieve stress, when a child is sick and is
hospitalized. As a game to make the mood in children
and fun so it stimulates the child's desire to eat for a
faster healing process. Based on research, it turns out
playing colorful games can activate a person's brain
system. Playing slime will also make children think
and imagine, creativity and innovate in making toys
for themselves (16).
Table 2. Distribution of the Pulse Rate of Respondents in the Treatment and Control Groups in the Dahlia Room
of Mgr. Gabriel Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital in December 2018-January 2019
Pulse
Treatment Group
Control Group
N
%
N
%
Normal
Abnormal
30
-
100
-
27
3
90
10
Total
30
100
30
100
Mean
101.6
92.8
Std. Deviation
8.088
15.624
Mann-Whitney U Test
p = 0.021
Table 3. Respondent Respiratory Frequency Distribution of Treatment and Control Groups in Dahlia Room of
Mgr. Gabriel Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital in December 2018-January 2019
Respiration rate
Treatment Group
Control Group
N
%
N
%
Normal
Abnormal
26
4
86.7
13.3
17
13
56.7
43.3
Total
30
100
30
100
Mean
21
19.47
Std. Deviation
1.838
2.063
Mann-Whitney U Test
p = 0.002
PEDIOMATERNAL NURSING JOURNAL
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Children will feel comfortable and happy and not
feel like they are in a hospital. The treatment room for
children must be supported by an adequate
environment and in accordance with developments in
children undergoing treatment. Play facilities need to
be provided as children's media to play, because one
stage of development in children is by playing. When
children play, hormone endorphins will be
stimulated, so the child will feel happy and the pulse
will be regular.
The results of the distribution of research in the
control group showed that there were respondents
with abnormal pulses. The respondent was once
known to have been treated in hospital twice. The
author argues that these respondents experienced
hospitalization stress which can be seen from the
abnormal biological response of the pulse.
Respondents who had undergone hospital
hospitalization with frightening experiences that
made children become traumatized will cause
recurring fears, so that children can experience stress
hospitalization which can be seen from irregular
pulse frequency, children crying easily, and fear when
nurses or doctors come to check the patient's
condition.
Efforts to prepare children and families to face
hospitalization can be given nursing intervention,
namely minimizing psychological stressors for family
members and preparing children before being
admitted to the hospital. The nurse has great
responsibility during the treatment process. Care
provided aims to cure children physically,
physiologically and psychologically as well as
children's perceptions of their illness (17).
Nurses must understand that their care is family-
centered and nurses use verbal and non-verbal
communication according to the child's
developmental level. Minimizing the feeling of losing
control by seeking freedom of movement,
maintaining a child's routine and encouraging
children to be independent. Positive adaptation can
make coping and positive behavior so that child
anxiety can be lowered (1).
The results of the study on respiratory frequency
showed that there was an effect of slime play therapy
in the treatment and control groups. The distribution
of data showed that in the treatment group the
majority of respondents' respiration rate frequency
was normal. Play can be used as a tool to reduce stress
and anxiety associated with hospitalization in pre-
school age children. The intended play is a
therapeutic play and the importance of family
involvement to participate in minimizing the impact
of hospitalization on children (18).
When child coping becomes positive by accepting
invasive actions it will be biologically responded
through the HPA axis pathway that affects the
neuroendocrine system. Neural and endocrine
pathways under the control of the hypothalamus.
First there is a decrease in CRF (corticotropin
Releasing Factor) secretion, then followed by a
decrease in medullary adrenal sympathetic secretion
wherein this gland will produce small amounts of
catecholamine. If catecholamines are produced in
small amounts, vasoconstriction will occur in
peripheral blood vessels so that it can reduce heart
rate or pulse and stabilize respiratory frequency (19).
Distribution data in the treatment group showed
that there were still some responses with abnormal
respiratory frequencies. In children with anemia,
severe respiration rate is also fast due to lack of
oxygen to all organs of the body. If the oxygen supply
decreases, even oxygen intake will be less as the
compensation is shortness of breath. Meanwhile,
children treated with a diagnosis of pneumonia cause
the child's respiratory frequency to be abnormal.
Table 4. Distribution of Psychological (Stress) Respondents in Treatment and Control Group Respondents in
the Dahlia Room of Mgr. Gabriel Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital in December 2018-January 2019
Psychological Response (stress)
Treatment Group
Control Group
N
%
N
%
Adaptive
Maladaptive
25
5
83.3
16.7
19
11
63.3
36.7
Total
30
100
30
100
Mean
3.1
5.37
Std. Deviation
3.827
3.737
Mann-Whitney U Test
p = 0.035
Table 5. Feeding Behavior Distribution of Respondents in the Treatment and Control Groups in the Dahlia Room
of the Mgr. Gabriel Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital in December 2018-January 2019
Eating Behavior
Treatment Group
Control Group
N
%
N
%
Good Eating Behavior
Less eating behavior
19
11
63.3
36.7
13
17
56.7
43.3
Total
30
100
30
100
Mean
4.8
4.2
Std. Deviation
1.472
1.095
Mann-Whitney U Test
p = 0.041
M. Y. SERAN ET AL.
22 | Volume 5 Issue 1 Maret 2019
Based on the results of observations carried out by
researchers, all children given slime play therapy
showed happy and not fussy expressions while
undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The child's reaction in overcoming the
hospitalization crisis is influenced by the level of
development of age, previous experience with the
disease process and being treated at home in the
hospital, the support system available, the
seriousness of the disease and coping skills in dealing
with stress. Gender can also influence a child's
response to hospitalization. At all age levels reviewed
as a group, boys, they will find it more difficult to
make adjustments to something new compared to
girls. Poor health conditions, anxiety, and anxious
environment will increase children's emotionality
(20). Play therapy can be a solution that can be
applied to both groups, namely the treatment group
and the control group. Status and conditions of
respiratory frequency in children are also influenced
by the diagnosis of diseases suffered by children.
Children diagnosed with respiratory disorders, surely
the frequency of respiration rate will increase due to
compensation of the body for the need for oxygen.
The results of the study on stress showed that
there were differences in psychological responses
among respondents between the treatment and
control groups. Tabulation data shows that the
majority of respondents' psychological responses to
the treatment group are adaptive. The main stressors
experienced from hospitalization include the result of
separation from family, loss of control, bodily injury
or injury, pain (1). Slime play therapy will stimulate
cognitive and emotional processes where the child
will release the tension and stress they experience
because by playing the child can divert the pain in the
game (distraction) (21). This will continue to increase
the cooperative level of children and then will have
positive coping and an adaptive response to the stress
of hospitalization.
The cooperative level shown by the treatment
group that received slime play therapy was linked to
adaptation theory, Roy stated that humans are
described as a system that is living, open and adaptive
of changes in elements, material in the environment
described as one unit which has input, control,
feedback processes and output. Part of the system is
the cognator and regulator subsystem. The cognator
subsystem is a subsystem that is related to brain
function to the process of information, decision
making and emotion (22). Children are given input
which is playing slime and then an information
processing process will occur including the
integration of new information. The process of part of
the adaptation experienced by children will form an
adaptive and maladaptive behavior. The response
and behavior of children towards hospitalization are
individual depending on the stage of child
development, experience of being treated in a
previous hospital, existing support systems and
coping abilities possessed by children (4). Most
respondents in the treatment group had more than
one treatment experience. The experience of being
treated becomes very influential for a child for future
life.
The results of this study are in line with the
research conducted (23) on Audio Recording
Imagination Guidance Methods to reduce the stress of
hospitalization in pre-school age children in hospitals
in the city of Palu. The researcher said that the
experiences of children treated beforehand would
affect the child's response to hospitalization. This will
give the child an idea of what they are experiencing so
that they influence the child's response such as
painful actions and experience in controlling the
stressful conditions. In addition, the factors that make
children more vulnerable to the emotional impact of
hospitalization and cause children's needs to be
significant, namely prior experience and introduction
to medical events, length and number of
hospitalizations (24).
Tabulation data in the control group showed that
most respondents showed maladaptive psychological
responses. This can be caused from medical actions
obtained by respondents during treatment at the
hospital. In other conditions the child experiences
anxiety because when the action is carried out the
infusion of the family or the mother cannot
accompany the child, so the child appears unfriendly
to the nurse, and refuses to take action. These results
are in accordance with the theory revealed by (22)
who said that stress can cause physical, emotional,
intellectual, social, and spiritual consequences.
Physically, stress threatens physiological
homeostasis. Emotionally, stress produces negative
or not constructive feelings or emotions.
Intellectually, stress affects a person's perception and
ability to deal with problems. Socially can disturb
someone with other children. Spiritually can provide
challenges to one's beliefs and values.
According to the researcher, in conducting
medical action, the person closest to the child (such as
a mother, father or brother) must be able to assist
because the child will feel happy and comfortable if
there is a mother beside him. So that children can
adjust themselves during the process of medical
action and will be more interested in the surrounding
environment, want to play with other children, and be
able to make new relationships with new children.
The effort is intended to eliminate stress in children
who want the presence of parents so they can
overcome it by forming good new relationships with
others.
The results of the study on eating habits showed
that there were differences in eating behavior in
children undergoing hospitalization between the
treatment and control groups. Distribution data show
that the majority of children's eating behavior in both
groups is lacking. This can be caused due to the
response of children during hospitalization which
causes a decrease in appetite in children.
Hospitalization in children can illustrate tension and
is a crisis that appears to children, because children
experience stress due to environmental changes,
PEDIOMATERNAL NURSING JOURNAL
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changes in their health status, and children have
limitations in coping mechanisms. The child's
reaction to these crises is influenced by the age of the
child's development, the experience of the previous
child, with the child's coping skills acquired and
acquired, the severity of the diagnosis, and the
existing support system (12). Decrease or loss of
appetite in children can be caused by several factors
such as the hospital environment, the menu provided
which can cause children to experience stress
hospitalization. Children can react to the stress of
hospitalization before entering, during
hospitalization, and after repatriation. The concept of
pain that children have is more important than age
and intellectual maturity in estimating anxiety levels
before hospitalization (2).
Nurses and parents in caring for and providing
care for children who are treated at the hospital are
expected to provide stimulation of educational and
interesting games that can make children comfortable
and while undergoing hospital treatment (4). One
game that is currently booming is the game of making
slime. Slime can be made in containers with various
colors and inserted in small prints so that it is
attractive to children. Slime is one of the toys that
many kids like because it is cute and has a variety of
bright color variations. For children, playing slime is
a fun activity that can train sensory, motoric, and child
psychology development (5). In addition, the slime
game can also reduce stress levels in children. The
benefits of slime play include making children feel
happier, as a means of channeling children's
emotions, increasing children's concentration, means
of self-expression for children, saturated release
facilities that are effective for children, making
children more creative, and improving their
children's abilities. When pre-school children feel
happy and the effects of the euphoria of the slime play
will cause a large amount of energy to be used in the
child's body, so the body will provide stimulus to the
hypothalamus with a sensation of hunger (5).
The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that plays
an important role in regulating homeostasis
processes, including regulating behavior and
appetite. The hypothalamus accepts neural,
endocrine and metabolic signals, then integrates and
uses various effector pathways to cause behavioral,
autonomic and endocrine responses. In addition, the
central regulation of appetite and energy balance also
involves the nervous system extensively covering the
brain stem, cerebral cortex, olfactory area, and
hormones (8). Ghrelin is one of the hormones, namely
peptides with 28 animo acids which can cause an
increase in food intake and reduce the use of fat
reserves. Ghrelin stimulates appetite through eating
centers in the hypothalamus (9). This game is in
accordance with the cognitive development of pre-
school age children (11). During the process of
making and playing using slime children will feel
happier, and can produce endorphin hormones that
can make children's moods become happier and can
increase appetite (7).
The researcher argues that when children feel
happy and do not feel that they are being treated in a
hospital, the child's psychological condition will
remain good and not affect the child's diet. Conditions
that occur at this time are indeed difficult to make the
condition of caring for the hospital can make it
comfortable for children. Because mistakes from
parenting applied by children also provide a role that
is quite influential, for example when children cry,
parents will say if the child is not silent, then it will be
occupied by nurses. It looks easy, but it can give a
trace to the child's mind, if crying will be directed by
the nurse and cause the child to be afraid of the
presence of nurses. This if it lasts a long time can
make children become stressed so that it affects the
eating behavior of children during hospitalization at
the hospital.
5. CONCLUSION
Slime play therapy by teaching children to make and
play with new games, so that children's coping
becomes positive by accepting invasive actions that
will be responded biologically where the pulse,
respiration rate frequency becomes normal,
psychological response (stress hospitalization)
decreases and children's eating behavior increases.
The next researcher can apply research with different
designs and provide pretest and posttest treatment
by providing slime play therapy. The next researcher
can also develop slime play therapy or compare the
effectiveness of slime play therapy with other play
therapies.
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to thanks to Directur of Mgr. Gabriel
Manek, SVD Atambua Hospital for permission and
admission us to take data as material research and all
of the respondents.
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