The act of playing as a signifier for the application of the dramatic Therapeutic Toy performed by the nurse: theoretical reflection

Abstract

Objective: To reflect on the possible contributions of the act of playing as a signifier in the use of dramatic Therapeutic Toy performed by the nurse. Methods: Theoretical-reflexive study, based on three moments: The language of the unconscious that emerges as a signifier when playing; How the dramatic Therapeutic Toy is used by the nurse; and the act of playing as a signifier during the application of the dramatic Therapeutic Toy: contributions to nursing practice. Results: Through the intervention of the nurse in the sessions, the act of playing mediated by the dramatic Therapeutic Toy provides the child with the opportunity to elaborate on signifier elements that had not been meant by him. Final considerations: Through the dramatic Therapeutic Toy, the articulation of the child's organism with his reality in the formation of the self constitutes an advance for the production of knowledge and nursing assistance to the child, enabling complete care and allowing the elaboration of their anxieties, which collaborates so that the child constitutes himself as a subject.

The family myth in nursing care for children in psychological distress

“…At birth, the baby requires a caregiver who will act as an interpreter of language in the role of the Other, also called the maternal function, which names the newborn’s actions as it interprets their state and produces meanings capable of soothing them ( 7 ) . It’s worth pointing out that the term “maternal function” doesn’t mean that this task is the mother’s alone, but rather that it’s carried out by all those who surround the baby and play the role of inserting them into language ( 7 ) .…”

“…In childhood children are constituted as speaking subjects through the insertion of fundamental signifiers that allow them to enter language (7) . This treasure trove of signifiers presented to the baby is called the family myth, a concept used in psychoanalysis to represent what the child breathes where it is placed, in other words, it is made up of valuable components for the family and society into which it will be introduced (7,8) .…”

“…Thus, nurses working in children's mental health, who use psychoanalysis as a theoretical reference to establish care and the therapeutic relationship, act through transference with the aim of grasping the logic of the unconscious, taking into account the family myth in which the child is inserted (6)(7)(8) .…”

“…This study is justified by the high rates of mental disorders in the infant population and the difficulty in accessing community services aimed at this public, highlighting the need to consolidate comprehensive care for children, which can be carried out through nurse care for children in psychological distress, highlighting the importance of the family in child development and in the process of becoming ill (1,2,5,7,8) . Having said that, this study aims to reflect on the contribution of the concept of family myth to nursing care for children in psychological distress.…”

“…Aiming in this direction, it is essential for nurses to base their care on a theoretical framework. One possibility that addresses the family in its relationship with the child is the psychoanalytic framework, which considers that psychic illnesses can originate in childhood, a period in which the psyche and ways of responding to the impasses that arise throughout life are structured ( 7 ) . Thus, even if psychological suffering is not present in childhood, it can emerge at any age from what is psychically structured in this phase.…”