The roll of the education in hospitals: A reflection with basis on Wallon and Vygotsky’s studies

Rejane de Souza Fontes¹ and Vera Maria Ramos Vasconcellos²

¹PhD in Education (State University of Rio de Janeiro), School Department, Civil Aviation National Agency (ANAC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

²Post Graduate Program in Education (PROPED) and Coordinator of the Childhood Studies: Research and Extension (NIS: P and E/UERJ), State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

*Corresponding author E-mail: rejane_fontes@yahoo.com.br  

Accepted 10 April, 2012

Abstract

Education in hospitals is still a new subject for the academia, with a limited bibliography. With the goal of adding to the debate, the paper that follows presents through analysis of images of a pedagogic approach to the patients in hospitals, possibilities of interrelation between education and health. With basis on Wallon and Vygotsky’s studies, this paper analyses the interaction between four infants and debates on the different rolls that education within hospitals have upon these infants. Learning as an element to trigger development acquires new elements when done within a hospital. Not only does it bring back the infants self-esteem, but the act of learning brings knowledge that helps the infant to think about the illness and the causes that put him in that position, lowering the normal tension of hospitals. Thus, by bringing moments of construction, expression and development of its knowledge, education plays an important role in the recovery of hospitalized children.  

Keywords: Education, health, emotion, psychology.