Figure 1
This is my brain with my little stone. This is my twisted mouth, and my bum leg. (Claudio, age 8).
Figure 2
“February 20: Today is my first day in the hospital because they found out that I have diabetes, which is a sort of a disease, where nothing bad is going to happen, it’s just that I need to have some pinpricks. However, I discovered that I also have coeliac disease. February 22: Today they put me on the insulin pump, at least I don’t have to have any more pinpricks, because I only do one in my belly, and I only have to do the finger prick, so I can check my insulin and see how much I have. Tomorrow I’ll go home and on Monday I’ll go to school and see all my friends again, and we’ll play tea ladies again.” (Claudia, age 9).
Figure 3
Ivan’s narrative of his experience of illness.
Figure 4
Francesco, age 4, represents his bronchitis.
Figure 5
Miguel, age 6, represents his brain tumor. The child explained: “I draw my head with my ears and my hair. I also draw the brain and the veins. In there, there is the little wormy Brainiac. I think he entered here [points to his head].”
Figure 6
Roberta, age 11, is affected by diabetes. She depicts her pancreas, her antibodies, and insulin, and explains: “Diabetes is when antibodies fail to recognize insulin and destroy it.”
Figure 7
Andrea, age 5, following hand surgery. He explains to his teacher that even if his hand hurts, his mother is always there, even at night, and never leaves him.
Figure 8
Matteo, age 11, depicts his leukemia.
Figure 9
Giovanni, age 7, depicts his leukemia.
Figure 10
Mattia, age 9. “My disease is like a horrible monster.”
Figure 11
Martina, age 10. “My illness is like a little bunny rabbit.”
Figure 12
Elena, age 7. “My illness is like a flower that withers away and is then reborn.”
Figure 13
Giulio, age 10. “My illness is like a demon.”
Figure 14
Giovanna, age 10. “School in the hospital is a genius idea!.”
Figure 15
Carlo, age 9. “The hospital is not so ugly, after all.”
Figure 16
Karen, age 11. The doctor enters the room, and she sees two children playing cards and another child who is heading towards them. There is also a mother present, who is smiling at them.
Figure 17
Marco, age 11. “Yesterday, when I was hospitalized, I realized there was another child in my room, on another bed next to mine. He is a boy, age 9, and his name is Pasquale. He is very friendly, and when I woke up this morning, he said, ‘Good morning to you,’ as if we were old friends. We soon became good pals, and this morning we played cards together. Pasquale lives in Naples, and when I leave the hospital, I won’t be able to meet him again. This makes me sad.”
Figure 18
Carlo, age 8. The child depicts play as a safe area in the hospital setting.
Figure 19
Pietro, age 9.
Figure 20
Maya, age 7. The child shows herself playing cards with a friend.