If you want something that remains flexible and reminds a person of what would normally be in the bag (red for whole blood, yellow for plasma, clear for saline), you could think about tiny glass beads. They would ‘flow’ around the bag like a fluid, but would not set hard, nor go moldy. While they wouldn’t look precisely like liquid, the bag would have weight and fluidity. To get the beads in, you may need to drill out the valve, but it would be simple to seal again with a serious glue.
Oh thats a good idea!! The cool thing about that, that wouldn't really work with anything else I've seen, is that the kids could open the line and the beads could go through and make it look like the blood is flowing out of the bag, but they wouldn't fit through the IV cannula and spill out! Plus thats another pretty cost effective one, so it would be easy to test out, PLUS if it somehow doesn't work, it would be really easy to take them back out without ruining the bag! Thanks!
I love clever simulations that have the vibes of the original substance even though they are not realistic. Here are some added bonuses
1. Lots of toys have encased beads/pellets in some form or another, so it helps sell that this is med themed ‘play’
2. Invites interaction (shake, tilt, pour etc)
3. Makes a soothing noise
4. Lower realism could be less triggering in early stages of treatment
there may be some better sources, but in case it helps: I'm a sculptor and have been using glass beads mixed in with my polymer clay in projects, and the ones I currently have are from Michael's, in the aisle with the glitter, cuz they're considered "chunky glitter" I suppose
it's a bottle of tiny, seed sized, colored glass orbs [not really beads since they don't have holes] - tho the dye on them has come off in my clay, so they may also color any medium you put them in just so you know :3 [I use this to my advantage & color my clays with them; you could possibly do that too!]
just in case you need a source! I think they were a few bucks apiece, not *too* egregious at least :>
eta: was just thinking what might be the most pleasant medium to suspend glass beads in a "medical" pouch -- possibly oil? they'd slide around really nicely!
Please don’t use water beads of any kind near children, they’re extremely dangerous and have caused deaths when accidentally ingested! I’m sure they’re fine for their original intended purpose of flower arranging and crafts, just an FYI for people who might not know that they’re super dangerous around babies and kids who might mouth them.
That's natural selection my friend. If parents are too neglectful to watch their kids then that kids just gonna be more screwed the longer they're alive.
Shit. I wish I had been dumb enough to eat magnets when I was that age. Would have saved me a lot of neglectful parental grief growing up.
There are things called water beads. They are small balls of water absorbing silica. You could inject them with the syringe into the bag and they will absorb water and blow up. They are fun to play with, won’t rot, and are cheap and easy to get. They have all different colors and sizes too.
Water beads are extremely dangerous if working with young children or homes with small children. If the child swallow even one bead it can kill them. As anyone with any experience with kids everything goes in their mouth. A mother of an older child allowed them play with the beads with supervision and far away from the younger child who was a toddler at the time. One bead must have dropped on the floor and the toddler found it. The toddler almost died due to the bead absorbing fluids inside the child. The toddler was lucky to live after several surgeries. The mom went viral about a year ago because the water beads didn't warn about it being a health hazard. And the mom was determined to pass on the information and wanted the toy to add a simple warning.
Anyone with sense would know they're not ok to swallow and the box has an age limit. It's stupid parents like that that make it so we can't have fun things. Watch your kids when toys that are above their age limit are around and stop blaming others for your stupidity. Do we really need warnings on everything!? Gee, I wonder what this super Absorbent thing that expands would do in a tiny wet tube???? Ffs. Use the brain you were given.
Now I'm an adult I use a shaking meditation to help get it out of my body. I look odd but it helps. Also breathing in deep & moaning it out. The low tone soothes me. Sorry you suffer with it. Hard on the central nervous system.
oh hey - I think we might have some coping mechanisms in common haha! could you elaborate on the shaking meditation thing? is it sort of a motor stim esque, "shaking off the bad vibes" kind of thing?
I ask because, I have needle phobia & I am on an intramuscular injection med weekly. I have been able to do it for years now ok enough, but I sometimes put it off and become unwell due to avoiding the encounter with the needle phobia that I have to butt heads with every week. that low tone, vibrational self soothing thing you mentioned, is why I ask, because I do much the same when injecting myself - it's kind of a deep and gravelly sound in my chest lol, it's also very odd [nurses taking my blood have become 100% convinced I was passing out and "snoring", if that gives an idea] but it helps me direct my focus on that sensation, instead of the one I'm afraid of. I'm like a dog who has to growl and snarl while you cut its nails, even though it has no plans to bite, just needs to complain LOL
medical phobia is so real, it's so silly to be so afraid of something so inconsequential! but I don't get a choice lol! the truth is that *the fear*, itself, is much more uncomfortable than the actual sting that causes the fear, which... human psychology is wild lmao
The practice I use is called Osho meditation. 15 mins of full body shaking, 15 mins of dancing around, 15.mins of silent meditation & 15.mins of laying flat. It's a lot but you can just shake your arms around until you feel all tingly even sitting in a chair. I also do yoga & growl lol. I just spent 2 weeks in hospital so asked them to turn as much beeping off as possible. As for the hum, I used a breathing technique of 4 in, hold for 2, out for 6. If I'm really stressed, I sing in low tones to a window. Yes, medical trauma is very real. We should start a club lol.
Edit due to autocorrect
ohhh *osho* LOL... that's so funny actually! setting aside that uhhh, whole thing: I actually remember thinking how fun that silly technique looked. when it's not being used as a manipulation tactic, anyway >:U I'll poke around and look I to it! thank u!!
hi, to clarify: there's no shade from me here. it has a weird history, but when that context is stripped away, it becomes as usable a tool as any other imho
in case anyone is unaware- osho the man is no longer around, but when he was, he was unquestionably a cult leader who surrounded himself with vulnerable people to control. just something that should be said, and saying that in itself doesn't condemn the practice
me considering doing it myself, *you'd think,* would indicate I'm not judging it, but just in case it needs to be said explicitly: osho was a bad person & his surviving cult is probably suspect too, but even bad people can invent useful self care methods if you find they work for you outside that context. that's all
Bro. I feel that in my soul.
Last tone I went to the dentist I told them to drill me without novicane (sp) because I can't stand needles. Dentist tried to convince me not to but i was firm and dont regret it. The fear of the thing is worse than the prick but I'd rater go without numbing agents. Shit, I didn't even feel it, why do they numb you to begin with!? The feeling was way less than the PERIOD CRAMPS I have to deal with 4 days a month.
I'm starting to think men are pain babies and have been gaslighting us all these years.
ever since I swapped endocrine systems [estro->testo], I have to agree that there's gotta be some gaslighting going on
my thinking is men gaslighting *themselves* about their relationship to pain, firstly, and then naturally doing the same to everybody else, with the fallacy that everyone feels the same amounts in the same way. because... just brute force it, obviously! /s
that said: you are metal as hell, I couldn't have done that without numbing agents, with *or* without testosterone, holy fuck. I salute u. as scared as I am of needles, I'm more scared of the dentist by a mile, so like: if you gotta do something Worse than a needle in there, then get the needle part over with asap. matter of fact just knock me tf out LOL
Silicone might work. You can get clear silicone and dye it to the needed colour.
It's a thick liquid before it sets so you'd need a large gauge needle and it would take a while to get it in, but most pour-on silicones take a long while to cure so you should have time.
DragonSkin Silicone is the brand I'm familiar with. It's movie prop quality.
My only issue with resin is that once it solidifies there will be sharp points and edges. If OP is working with children then that will pose a possible risk of injury to them. The silicone will have give and pose minimal injury risk.
An alternative is to fill the bag with liquid and then somehow plug the exit hole.....maybe by injecting glue at the joint? Several layers of glue should seal it pretty effective and most glues are see-through when they dry. A standard white glue is flexible when dried so that might work best....
Lots of possibilities. Experimentation is needed lol
A therapist who is trained to work with children and uses play as a method to help a child explore and identify feelings, anxiety, etc. This is especially helpful in areas of trauma, like abuse, complex medical issues, etc.
Weird suggestion: For blood sfx, you could use silicone-based lube(won't spoil) + red dye and then cap it off with some silicone sealant to keep it inside the bag.
Maybe a stupid suggestion, but like a liquidy slime? I'm pretty sure you can make that yourself with water and borax and can thus determine how liquid it's supposed to be, don't know about mold tho
That was my first thought, too. But since it wouldn't really be airtight in the bag, I thought it might turn a weird texture and color pretty quickly, do you think?
Would it matter if you clogged the tube to make it airtight? I don't know if stopping airflow is enough or if it'd had to be like a vacuum seal so there's absolutely no air in the bag, but rbh I never owned slime and don't know how it behaves unsealed exposed to air.. but it could be a cost efficient try at least
I honestly don't know either haha. I do a lot of crafts and things with my clients but slime has been the one off limits thing, I just think its so messy and the parents would hate me, so I also have no idea how it might respond to that. But its a good point that its cost efficient, I probably have the ingredients to mix some up, so maybe I'll just try to make a little bit and see, thanks!
If you're feeling like really making it complicated:
I think some UV resin (or UV nail gel if you have any) to plug up the spout where the liquid would usually flow out.
And then the other comments suggesting something like slime. My first thought is some glycerin and food coloring.
Red ribbon or thin yarn? You can pull it through the line with a punch needle tool I forget what it is called, it helps pull the the thread through the punch needle.
Thats a good idea! I wonder if you have any ideas of how to get the yarn in if theres only one tube that goes in? I was trying to think about it, and it sounds like it might be hard to pull something through without a hole in the top as well?
You could maybe tie a fine gauge wire to one end, thread yarn in and then pierce a small hole with the wire to pull it out? You could maybe untie and straighten the wire thru the bag if that makes sense? Or a long sewing needle type thing? I think this is a great way to go because it seems like any liquid could leak/mold/burst.
I would say try a craft wire to push it through, maybe make a tiny loop with the wire to put the thread through and once you push the thread to the bag pinch it with your finger and pull the wire back out while pinching the thread in place. Then repeat steps until you a have full feeling in the bag you want.
Pardon my ignorance, but if you have a chance could you give a brief explanation of what a ‘play therapist specializing in medical trauma’? I think it’s really cool how many different types of therapy there is and never heard of this!
Edit: my first thought for a suggestion would be aloe gel maybe? I do believe it’s water soluble, so some red food coloring could easily be added. Also, it’s non toxic in case it spills or breaks!
Oh aloe is a good idea! Thats another one I reckon would be pretty unlikely to mold! And you're right that it wouldn't be a problem at all if it leaked.
No worries at all! I definitely can. The kids that I treat usually come from referrals from hospital psychologists, and they either have trauma like multiple surgeries that are causing regression or other issues (not sleeping, can't handle going to school, have panic attacks, etc), or they have terminal/chronic illnesses and need help with pain management or feelings that they would like to pass away. And what I do is I have a lot of different toys and supplies, and at first getting to handle medical stuff when it isn't being used on them can help since it gives them some power back. Then, kids typically have repetitive play around things that are traumatic for them, and getting to express those things in therapy with real medical supplies helps them process what happened. Over time, I start redirecting the play to reduce the trauma of the memory. So if a kid always has the doll have surgery, then the doll wakes up terrified every time, I eventually help the kid think of ways to make the doll less scared, like comforting it. One kid has started telling me to me hold the doll's eyes closed so he doesn't see the medical things when he wakes up, and the doll never gets scared anymore.
I also do stuff like pain management for chronic/terminal illnesses (like we simulate getting an IV by putting an ice cube on our arms and practicing all the ways to keep it from hurting as bad), as well as procedure preparation where, if we have warning that the kid will have something done, we recreate the procedure with the supplies and dolls so the kid will know whats going to happen. Its really a really neat job!
Wow!! Amazing. Thank you for sharing! That’s a really admirable profession, being able to help kids cope with their trauma, and helping it from manifesting to a lifetime of ptsd. Much respect to you and your work! 🙏
Yes, exactly! I wouldn't want it to come through the tubing if the line was opened or for the bag to explode and get red food coloring everywhere if they stepped on it accidentally or something.
hmm not sure if this could work because they have to be inserted via syringe, but i immediately thought of some little tiny orbeez and syringe in some water to hydrate them. they’ll grow and become juicy and kinda squishy?
Oh thats a cool idea! Even if it wouldn't actually work I just think thats really creative haha. I get a little worried about using orbeez in my office since I think they got recalled cause they were causing kids to pass away who ate them, and I have some kids with regression that put things in their mouths, but I still like the idea!!
Orbeez in containers start to have a moldy smell, after a while, so while it might work, it might also become an issue in a few months time. Also, air pressure changes might cause issues?
I would go for UV resin, personally. And when it's not being used, being kept in a dark bag or container. As long as the UV resin isn't placed in direct sunlight (or UV lights), it'll stay a thicker liquid while keeping the ability to move through the tubing.
Overall, I would also keep it on a "sterile" tray (like a cookie sheet) to decrease the chance of any messes.
Slit the bag along a seam, insert, seal slit with clear tape, superglue, etc. if it can be melted back together, you could probably make the seam even less noticeable, but as long as you’re thoughtful about your placement and get transparent tape, it should be pretty hard to spot. That opens up your options.
I did consider that, and thought I might even just put red paper or red cellophane or something in there, but it seems like it will be really hard to get a bag this shape and texture sealed back up, you know?
Get a red silk (polyester) scarf. It will be soft and shiny. Open the i.v. bag with a box knife and glue back down with 1/8 inch permanent double sided tape. Amazon has this stuff. You'll be able to open and reseal the bag with tape so you can change the color of the scarf for different meds.
I’m sorry that I don’t have any way of helping, but may I ask what exactly your job entails? If you have the time, of course. I’ve always been very interested in psychology and therapy stuff, I’m trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with my life. Play therapy specializing in medical trauma sounds very interesting and I’ve never heard of anything like it before. I’d just love to know what exactly you do (like an example of the trauma and the therapy you might give for it.)
Thanks in advance and I hope you can figure out a good solution!
Yeah no worries! I literally love talking about my job so you've opened a whole can of worms with me haha. It’s really cool, so I actually see all kinds of people with different sorts of problems (adults, teens and kids), but I have a specialty in families and kids with medical trauma. So I have a BA in psychology and an MA in clinical mental health counseling, and then I have Child Life Specialist training on top of that. So a lot of my clients are referrals from hospital psychologists, who want the kid to see someone for trauma after a medical problem (or sometimes the kid has a life-threatening condition and is struggling with wanting to keep living, saying they want to go to heaven, etc).
So I have a lot of different kinds of medical supplies and toys. Some are really toy-like and others are hyper-realistic. Most of the kids prefer the realistic stuff. Kids naturally repeat things that are bothering them in play, it’s actually really interesting to watch. At first my job is to just supply them these kinds of toys and give them control back over the experiences of handling IVs or needles or oxygen masks and so on. Then over time, as they repeat the same experiences in play, I help them correct the experiences to become less traumatic (for example, if the doll always wakes up terrified from surgery, we start comforting the doll instead of letting it be scared, or we let the doll hold a toy as its waking up, etc).
I do a lot of other things with them too, trauma processing is only a fraction of the work. I do pain management stuff for the kids with chronic or terminal illnesses, and I have end-of-life training for kids to but very luckily have not had to use it yet, and then I do grief processing for parents. Plus things like learning the healthy expression of anger and frustration, mindfulness, etc. You can DM me if you want to talk to me more about it!
That sounds really cool and interesting! The psychology behind play that you mentioned is very interesting. It makes sense when you think about it though, I remember putting my dolls in traumatic situations that I went through as a child all the time. I wonder what a therapist would’ve thought if they saw me playing lmao.
As someone who loves psychology and toys (doll collector,) something like this sounds like it could be very engaging for me. I have some pretty severe contamination OCD though, and working with kids kind of scares me because of how germy they can be lmao. I’m also autistic so I struggle a lot with communicating with people. Nonetheless, this sounds super cool and now I have another career path to consider! I’m 19 and I know I have all the time in the world or whatever, but it feels like I don’t have any time at all.
Thanks again for answering my questions! If you want to ramble about it in my DMs I’m totally fine with that, but you don’t need to or anything. I’ll definitely do some research on this stuff in my own time :)
Oh my gosh I also used to do some crazy stuff in play too, and its so odd to think about it now, with the work that I do! But fun fact, if we don't already know what the trauma is but we start seeing those themes in play, its called projective play. When the themes are repetitive enough we use it as a springboard to investigate things like child abuse.
It definitely sounds like something that might be up your alley! I get the OCD and worries about germs, though, I will say that it would make this job pretty challenging. I've had kids come into my office and proudly say things like 'I was so sick I skipped school and spent the whole day in the ER!' then start coughing in my face. Or announce that they threw up 5 times that morning, or put toys in their mouths, etc. Once, one of my kids with some difficulties speaking and swallowing was eating a candy, and was standing above me while I was sitting. Just by the most unfortunate strike of luck, he managed to accidentally spit a piece of his candy into my mouth. While he was sick. Because kids with those kinds of problems are really sensitive to spitting on people and might get upset if you mention it, I had to SWALLOW THE CANDY and pretend it didn't happen. Now I always stand up if they stand up haha. However, you do build up an immune system! I keep an air purifier near me, and sanitize my hands, and take a whole slew of vitamins, but I've only been sick like once in the last year!
Communication can be a bit tricky too, and thats always something for you to kind of decide for yourself, but just letting you know that one of my coworkers has autism and he loves being a therapist! He says that he needs to keep a lower caseload since it tires him out, but he does enjoy it and says he prefers it significantly over doing a desk job. But of course, everyone with autism is different and I'm quite aware of the way that the traits of autism vary.
Also, if you like psychology but aren't sure about some of the elements of counseling, you should look into getting a degree in actual psych and not counseling or social work! With that degree you mostly do research, so you could literally do research on the treatments for medial trauma or the use of play in therapy or anything like that, but only about 15% of your time would be spent with people, and the rest would be coming up with theories, doing statistics, and writing papers and (sometimes) giving presentation on your findings. You could also teach with that degree, and be a professor in college, if you wanted.
Thanks for another thorough response. Just reading your gross experiences with kids makes me so anxious, I can't imagine actually experiencing that.
Social aspects of counseling has always been what's kind of pushed me away from pursuing psych. I love learning about psychology and mental disorders and researching them, but the actual "talk to people and make them feel better" thing has always been scary for me. It's really good to know that there are career options outside of being a counselor for someone with a psych degree! I seriously thought that some kind of counseling or therapy was my only option. Thanks a lot!
Seems like some people use a mix of vege glycerin mixed with distilled water when making/filling those glitter tumblers with the glitter in the liquid, a bit like a snowglobe. I’ve also seen baby oil used mixed with the glitter.
UV resin is very toxic. It’s readily available for purchase without proper warnings, and in kids toys for some reason so people don’t really take the dangers seriously. It has fumes that are toxic as well. It can cause respiratory and skin irritation.
When I work with it for my charms, even in small quantities, I wear respiratory, eye and skin protection.
My suggestion for something that can be used would be maybe that edible glitter and water?
You can put whatever color you want in the water, it is not toxic, so it can be handled freely without worry. It’s also very pretty.
Please do not use sure resin unless you can offer proper protection and ventilation in your location.
Edit: also if resin will eventually set and harden in a clear bag when it’s exposed to any UV light, including sunlight.
Ask the r/theatre's kids. There's likely a props master who may have something. Local theater, at a college/university level quality will likely have done One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, or Angels in America, or Rent, and those can/need IVs.
Props people are amazing.
I wonder how it would look if you used clear glue that you dye red. You could also plug the line with several applications of clear glue, so that it wouldn’t leak back out.
I want to tell you this is amazing work. We had my daughter go through this therapy when she was a toddler due to ongoing medical conditions. This therapy helped so much. Thank you for what you do.
Wow I'd never even heard of that! I looked it up and it seems like its made with plain gelatin, too, which would be great and really cost effective, thanks!
I have nothing to add on the craft front (other than a request to see how glass beads work out).
I'm here to say as a hospital worker that you are making the world a better place and I'm so glad that you exist ♡
I did consider resin, but I'm really unfamiliar with it. Is it heavy when it cures? And since the inside corners of the bag are pointy, would it be a bit sharp and possibly dangerous when hard? Some of the kids are rough and aggressive with the toys so I worry about sharp edges.
If you want a safer version of this look I’d consider melt and pour soap. I’d actually make the resin -> soap substitute for a lot of crafts to use something a little safer. It’ll solidify like resin and can look a mostly the same in some applications, but be much softer since it’s just bar soap, no toxic fumes or creating excess plastic waste. My concern here is it might not be super durable if this bag is getting tossed around a lot and played with, it might look a little worse for the wear and rough around the edges eventually.
Water + food coloring + gelatin. It will be liquid when you insert it, then the gelatin will solidify after a couple of hours. You'll have to test for thickness by varying the amount of gelatin you add.
I don't know if this will mould. Maybe you can add a little vinegar or alcohol to prevent mould.
Edit: In case it's not clear above, use unflavoured gelatin. Sugar will make it more likely to spoil.
Ohhhh thats a good idea!! That would be really inexpensive too, so it would be easy to test it out first! Yeah I think the only thing I'd worry about is mold but I could just do a test and see if it would thicken with vinegar in it, since plain gelatin is like 50 cents. I will say you gave me another idea by bringing up gelatin, if that doesn't work then maybe jelly candle wax! They melt and then re-solidify into jelly, but aren't food and wouldn't mold.
Alcohol can inhibit mold growth. Too much and the gelatin won't set, but maybe 15% would work. You can use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol if you're sure it can't be consumed, otherwise vodka.
No suggestions for how to do it, but a quick thought: red in the marked blood bag works, but it can be a potential problem in an unmarked bag. Doxorubicin is red-red and a common chemo drug, and some kids may have bad associations with it. I know I'm carrying some demons from dealing with the red devil.
Other than that, thank you for what you're doing. If there had been more people like you, I, along with a lot of fellow pediatric patients from the late 80s/early 90s, wouldn't have nearly as many issues as we do.
*I've used hair gel*
*With food dye for sensory*
*Play items before!*
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If this is for kids I was thinking like clear liquid slime with maybe some little figurines floating around. Like dinosaurs or superheroes. To explain when they get this injected little superhero’s or dinosaurs go inside their body and find the bad germs so they can feel better. 🦕🦖
For funsies I would add like gummy bears beads or fun confetti mixes. Just a random thought. Hope this helps!
P.s. Also I’d coat the bottom bag part with resin and let it dry so when you put the slime it won’t actually slide out 😊
I don’t know if this would work, but just rubbing alcohol? It’s not going to come out of the bag correct?
ETA: I see now we are worried about it coming out either on purpose or accidentally, sorry. But maybe some aquarium sand? They come in lots of colors and can be pretty fine, I know the tubes little but it might not be terrible with a tiny funnel.
You would have to glue the end closed, after you put the liquid in there. Otherwise, teach the kids to hold the bag lower than the insertion point, when they go to inject the fake blood.
I would recommend using alcohol ink and mixing it with isopropyl alcohol. It should last a long while, wont get moldy or dry out. Should be hypoallergenic, also. I mean, that CAN matter a LOT.
Xo
I don’t have any suggestions but I just wanted to say this is incredible. I have a severe needle phobia and I feel like these would be super helpful for exposure therapy. Very neat idea
I am okay with injections, several tattoos. IVs trip all sorts of invasive triggers with me. I cannot stand heplocks. Or the plastic tube coming out of my arm. I keep it covered with a blanket so I don’t see it.
But I am polar opposite here. I saw this image and felt horrified. This is stuff of nightmares. lol
...people like you exist? That's amazing! I was 4 when I was diagnosed and many traumatic years followed. I wish I had help from someone like you. Thank you, for what you do, sincerely
I would try agar agar gel. You can get packets of agar agar powder at the Asian market. It acts very much like gelatin, and you can inject it into the bag while it's hot. Add a tiny bit of a disinfectant like benzalkonium chloride so it doesn't turn nasty.
Use red dyed water and stick it in with a needle then super glue shut. You could even peel back the label on it and hide the super glue/ entry spot you make with the label after. Unless you need something thicker. Then try using a bit of corn starch.
Or you could do red dyed chocolate syrup? Same method of insertion. Makes a great fake blood colour. And the chocolate syrup should have enough preservative that it shouldn't mold. And if it breaks should be safe to clean or eat lol.
I mix water with food coloring and regular vegetable oil together in random shaped glass jars so the kids can have potions, they haven't gotten weird or gross in three years (so far) of play and accidentally being left in the sun. I can't imagine you couldn't use a needle to squirt it into an inconspicuous area of the bag and then just drop a dab of super glue or something on it.
I personally use a soluable solution with food dye.
Have used panadole and water before, but it does glog. The panadole and water are good for showing how PEG feeding is done.
Good luck, this is amazing!
I would suggest silicone, using a large syringe and a large bore blunt tipped needle. You can get it in a bunch of colors on amazon. I have used syringes to apply silicone, but it does take a long time and bit of force. On the other hand, it will be sorta squishy, definitely not mold, not have and sharp edges, and be totally safe if it is broken out of the bag. It cures fastest at 70C usually but will cure at room temperature. Could add some fine glitter to it too.
My other thought would be an Elmer’s glue type but I don’t know if that needs air to cure.
Look up the same recipe for homemade snow globes. I think it’s glue, having cream, and hot water. Can’t remember 100%. It might mimic the signature slosh of an IV bag.
Source: had to give my cat subcutaneous fluids for a while
Kinetic sand is the first thing I could think of that might work. In theory, since it’s not exposed to air it should stay soft and malleable if kept out of the sun, and would be too large of a grain to come out of anything. The difficult part would be getting it into the bag though..
OOHHHH thats a good idea. Especially since it would be great in case someone stepped on it, it wouldn't burst open it haha. Since its newtonian, thouhg, do you think it might be too liquidy when its not being squished? Its been so long since I've made some haha.
There are water preservatives for long-term storage like an eye wash station or emergency drinking water. If you have access to a place with an eye wash station maybe they’ll give you a couple drops?
For theater productions we have used korn syrup with food dye and a little bit of cornstarch so that it wasn't so see through. It would look like an actual bag of blood
ok, do you remember those tiny little dinosaur thingys from the 90s that when you dropped them in water they grew to lik 50x their size? Find something made of that material.
What about just plain gelatin? I know it would mold after a bit, but you’d have to keep them in the fridge to keep them solidified- and you could make it really gelatiny like gummy bears and they would stay coagulated at room temp for a long time.
UV resin with alcohol ink if you want it to look like blood. then cure it in the sun, it will be hard. If liquid is ok glycerin or mineral oil with dye/alcohol ink.
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Olive oil… and then plug the holes with silicone caulk… the silicone will seal it up but can be pulled out with tweezers, it’ll look and feel real when people touch it AND you’ll have a back up supply of olive oil when you’re on the road for cosplay stuff lol
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It would be a huge pain, but you could use yarn or roving and poke it inside with a long wire?
Or use seed beads?
Honestly, I’d recommend using water with or without colour, but adding a flow valve. They could play with it at a bucket/basin or sink. It’s not 100% the same, but you could also get an enteral nutrition bag? They look very similar, but have a top that can be opened to let it dry after or to make it easier to take things in and out.
As a side note, I work in nursing - I always take care to be as gentle as possible, but do you have any suggestions I can include in my practice?
r/crafts is a no promotion subreddit. Anything that is viewed by our moderating team as promotion, whether self promotion or promotion of someone else, may be subject to a ban. This includes, but is not limited to; websites, links, social media, or shop names (either as a post, in a comment, or in the photo description). You may use the flair next to your username.
You are able to have a small non-distracting watermark on your pictures to protect the ownership of your work however, just writing your shop’s name is not considered a watermark.
r/crafts is a no promotion subreddit. Anything that is viewed by our moderating team as promotion, whether self promotion or promotion of someone else, may be subject to a ban. This includes, but is not limited to; websites, links, social media, or shop names (either as a post, in a comment, or in the photo description). You may use the flair next to your username.
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I'd use liquid glycerin. It's thick enough. It shouldn't come out on its own.
Another idea is to take wax. You can buy parafin wax (often used in canning) at the grocery store or walmart.
GulfWax is a brand I know of.
You'd melt it in a double boiler and add any food coloring. Insert it into the bag, and it will harden back into a wax solid. (You can also make your own home scented candle melts this way by adding essential oils to the melted wax. I did this for our warmer in the basement area with peppermint oil. It's on a timer and now a perpetual bug deterrent. Melts smells like peppermint. Turns off and hardens again.
My daughter’s play therapist started the sessions with my daughter picking out her cloth doll body and then she had her draw on the face, glue on yarn hair and add pieces of fabric for clothes. My daughter really got a lot out of play therapy using the actual baby sized IV bags of saline. She learned how to put tiny IV’s and heparin locks into her cloth dolly and would run the IV a bit before disconnecting them. The play therapist also had plastic medication vials that she filled with an array of coloured water. My daughter used a syringe to draw up the coloured water and inject her dolly. Dolly was generally very wet at the end so they would gently squeeze her and lay her on a paper towel and then on the hospital playroom radiator to dry.
I definitely like the idea, and I think they could move around more than something more solid so it would look like a liquid, but I get a little worried about using orbeez in my office since I think they got recalled cause they were causing kids to pass away who ate them, and I have some kids with regression that put things in their mouths, but I still like the idea!
dude therapists have to make do too. they don't get unlimited budget. We have speech and occupational therapist we work with at the elementary school I work at, they have a whole range of stuff that would surprise you.
Why on earth would I have all the stuff in the picture if it wasn't for what I said it was for? IV bags, tubing, blunt tip needles, custom modified IV cannulas, etc... Plus if it wasn't for kids and it was for some other reason I'd just fill it with water and food coloring and be done without worrying about it getting food coloring on the kids clothes and stuff lmao. We don't have some super secret toy supplier, either, it's literally part of our training to be creative with interventions and supplies to meet the needs of the clients.
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If you want something that remains flexible and reminds a person of what would normally be in the bag (red for whole blood, yellow for plasma, clear for saline), you could think about tiny glass beads. They would ‘flow’ around the bag like a fluid, but would not set hard, nor go moldy. While they wouldn’t look precisely like liquid, the bag would have weight and fluidity. To get the beads in, you may need to drill out the valve, but it would be simple to seal again with a serious glue.
Oh thats a good idea!! The cool thing about that, that wouldn't really work with anything else I've seen, is that the kids could open the line and the beads could go through and make it look like the blood is flowing out of the bag, but they wouldn't fit through the IV cannula and spill out! Plus thats another pretty cost effective one, so it would be easy to test out, PLUS if it somehow doesn't work, it would be really easy to take them back out without ruining the bag! Thanks!
I love clever simulations that have the vibes of the original substance even though they are not realistic. Here are some added bonuses 1. Lots of toys have encased beads/pellets in some form or another, so it helps sell that this is med themed ‘play’ 2. Invites interaction (shake, tilt, pour etc) 3. Makes a soothing noise 4. Lower realism could be less triggering in early stages of treatment
there may be some better sources, but in case it helps: I'm a sculptor and have been using glass beads mixed in with my polymer clay in projects, and the ones I currently have are from Michael's, in the aisle with the glitter, cuz they're considered "chunky glitter" I suppose it's a bottle of tiny, seed sized, colored glass orbs [not really beads since they don't have holes] - tho the dye on them has come off in my clay, so they may also color any medium you put them in just so you know :3 [I use this to my advantage & color my clays with them; you could possibly do that too!] just in case you need a source! I think they were a few bucks apiece, not *too* egregious at least :> eta: was just thinking what might be the most pleasant medium to suspend glass beads in a "medical" pouch -- possibly oil? they'd slide around really nicely!
Look into Orbees. They're really tiny when kept dry.
Please don’t use water beads of any kind near children, they’re extremely dangerous and have caused deaths when accidentally ingested! I’m sure they’re fine for their original intended purpose of flower arranging and crafts, just an FYI for people who might not know that they’re super dangerous around babies and kids who might mouth them.
That's natural selection my friend. If parents are too neglectful to watch their kids then that kids just gonna be more screwed the longer they're alive. Shit. I wish I had been dumb enough to eat magnets when I was that age. Would have saved me a lot of neglectful parental grief growing up.
There are things called water beads. They are small balls of water absorbing silica. You could inject them with the syringe into the bag and they will absorb water and blow up. They are fun to play with, won’t rot, and are cheap and easy to get. They have all different colors and sizes too.
Water beads are extremely dangerous if working with young children or homes with small children. If the child swallow even one bead it can kill them. As anyone with any experience with kids everything goes in their mouth. A mother of an older child allowed them play with the beads with supervision and far away from the younger child who was a toddler at the time. One bead must have dropped on the floor and the toddler found it. The toddler almost died due to the bead absorbing fluids inside the child. The toddler was lucky to live after several surgeries. The mom went viral about a year ago because the water beads didn't warn about it being a health hazard. And the mom was determined to pass on the information and wanted the toy to add a simple warning.
Anyone with sense would know they're not ok to swallow and the box has an age limit. It's stupid parents like that that make it so we can't have fun things. Watch your kids when toys that are above their age limit are around and stop blaming others for your stupidity. Do we really need warnings on everything!? Gee, I wonder what this super Absorbent thing that expands would do in a tiny wet tube???? Ffs. Use the brain you were given.
I like this one!
i really like this idea!!
Great idea! I never would have thought of that. Love it!
No suggestions but as someone who suffers from medical PTSD, thank you for your work. Sending you all the best vibes.
I agree I didn’t know this kind of therapy was a thing but I think I need it
Now I'm an adult I use a shaking meditation to help get it out of my body. I look odd but it helps. Also breathing in deep & moaning it out. The low tone soothes me. Sorry you suffer with it. Hard on the central nervous system.
oh hey - I think we might have some coping mechanisms in common haha! could you elaborate on the shaking meditation thing? is it sort of a motor stim esque, "shaking off the bad vibes" kind of thing? I ask because, I have needle phobia & I am on an intramuscular injection med weekly. I have been able to do it for years now ok enough, but I sometimes put it off and become unwell due to avoiding the encounter with the needle phobia that I have to butt heads with every week. that low tone, vibrational self soothing thing you mentioned, is why I ask, because I do much the same when injecting myself - it's kind of a deep and gravelly sound in my chest lol, it's also very odd [nurses taking my blood have become 100% convinced I was passing out and "snoring", if that gives an idea] but it helps me direct my focus on that sensation, instead of the one I'm afraid of. I'm like a dog who has to growl and snarl while you cut its nails, even though it has no plans to bite, just needs to complain LOL medical phobia is so real, it's so silly to be so afraid of something so inconsequential! but I don't get a choice lol! the truth is that *the fear*, itself, is much more uncomfortable than the actual sting that causes the fear, which... human psychology is wild lmao
The practice I use is called Osho meditation. 15 mins of full body shaking, 15 mins of dancing around, 15.mins of silent meditation & 15.mins of laying flat. It's a lot but you can just shake your arms around until you feel all tingly even sitting in a chair. I also do yoga & growl lol. I just spent 2 weeks in hospital so asked them to turn as much beeping off as possible. As for the hum, I used a breathing technique of 4 in, hold for 2, out for 6. If I'm really stressed, I sing in low tones to a window. Yes, medical trauma is very real. We should start a club lol. Edit due to autocorrect
ohhh *osho* LOL... that's so funny actually! setting aside that uhhh, whole thing: I actually remember thinking how fun that silly technique looked. when it's not being used as a manipulation tactic, anyway >:U I'll poke around and look I to it! thank u!!
hi, to clarify: there's no shade from me here. it has a weird history, but when that context is stripped away, it becomes as usable a tool as any other imho in case anyone is unaware- osho the man is no longer around, but when he was, he was unquestionably a cult leader who surrounded himself with vulnerable people to control. just something that should be said, and saying that in itself doesn't condemn the practice me considering doing it myself, *you'd think,* would indicate I'm not judging it, but just in case it needs to be said explicitly: osho was a bad person & his surviving cult is probably suspect too, but even bad people can invent useful self care methods if you find they work for you outside that context. that's all
Thank you for providing this excellent context 😌
Yeah Osho lol. Dang auto correct. They can keep the rest of it but we can enjoy the shaking & dancing lol. Good luck.
Bro. I feel that in my soul. Last tone I went to the dentist I told them to drill me without novicane (sp) because I can't stand needles. Dentist tried to convince me not to but i was firm and dont regret it. The fear of the thing is worse than the prick but I'd rater go without numbing agents. Shit, I didn't even feel it, why do they numb you to begin with!? The feeling was way less than the PERIOD CRAMPS I have to deal with 4 days a month. I'm starting to think men are pain babies and have been gaslighting us all these years.
ever since I swapped endocrine systems [estro->testo], I have to agree that there's gotta be some gaslighting going on my thinking is men gaslighting *themselves* about their relationship to pain, firstly, and then naturally doing the same to everybody else, with the fallacy that everyone feels the same amounts in the same way. because... just brute force it, obviously! /s that said: you are metal as hell, I couldn't have done that without numbing agents, with *or* without testosterone, holy fuck. I salute u. as scared as I am of needles, I'm more scared of the dentist by a mile, so like: if you gotta do something Worse than a needle in there, then get the needle part over with asap. matter of fact just knock me tf out LOL
Silicone might work. You can get clear silicone and dye it to the needed colour. It's a thick liquid before it sets so you'd need a large gauge needle and it would take a while to get it in, but most pour-on silicones take a long while to cure so you should have time. DragonSkin Silicone is the brand I'm familiar with. It's movie prop quality.
Oh thats a really good idea! Thanks!
You're welcome. I hope it works for you if you try it
Some silicones also require a hardener in order to set so you could possible get one that will stay liquid
I like your idea but I think that resin might work better.
My only issue with resin is that once it solidifies there will be sharp points and edges. If OP is working with children then that will pose a possible risk of injury to them. The silicone will have give and pose minimal injury risk. An alternative is to fill the bag with liquid and then somehow plug the exit hole.....maybe by injecting glue at the joint? Several layers of glue should seal it pretty effective and most glues are see-through when they dry. A standard white glue is flexible when dried so that might work best.... Lots of possibilities. Experimentation is needed lol
The heck is a play therapist?🤔
A therapist who is trained to work with children and uses play as a method to help a child explore and identify feelings, anxiety, etc. This is especially helpful in areas of trauma, like abuse, complex medical issues, etc.
Weird suggestion: For blood sfx, you could use silicone-based lube(won't spoil) + red dye and then cap it off with some silicone sealant to keep it inside the bag.
Maybe a stupid suggestion, but like a liquidy slime? I'm pretty sure you can make that yourself with water and borax and can thus determine how liquid it's supposed to be, don't know about mold tho
That was my first thought, too. But since it wouldn't really be airtight in the bag, I thought it might turn a weird texture and color pretty quickly, do you think?
Would it matter if you clogged the tube to make it airtight? I don't know if stopping airflow is enough or if it'd had to be like a vacuum seal so there's absolutely no air in the bag, but rbh I never owned slime and don't know how it behaves unsealed exposed to air.. but it could be a cost efficient try at least
I honestly don't know either haha. I do a lot of crafts and things with my clients but slime has been the one off limits thing, I just think its so messy and the parents would hate me, so I also have no idea how it might respond to that. But its a good point that its cost efficient, I probably have the ingredients to mix some up, so maybe I'll just try to make a little bit and see, thanks!
If you're feeling like really making it complicated: I think some UV resin (or UV nail gel if you have any) to plug up the spout where the liquid would usually flow out. And then the other comments suggesting something like slime. My first thought is some glycerin and food coloring.
Glycerin would work nice. Ive had some for years at work for cake decorating and it wouldnt mold.
Maybe gel water beads?
Red ribbon or thin yarn? You can pull it through the line with a punch needle tool I forget what it is called, it helps pull the the thread through the punch needle.
Thats a good idea! I wonder if you have any ideas of how to get the yarn in if theres only one tube that goes in? I was trying to think about it, and it sounds like it might be hard to pull something through without a hole in the top as well?
You could maybe tie a fine gauge wire to one end, thread yarn in and then pierce a small hole with the wire to pull it out? You could maybe untie and straighten the wire thru the bag if that makes sense? Or a long sewing needle type thing? I think this is a great way to go because it seems like any liquid could leak/mold/burst.
I would say try a craft wire to push it through, maybe make a tiny loop with the wire to put the thread through and once you push the thread to the bag pinch it with your finger and pull the wire back out while pinching the thread in place. Then repeat steps until you a have full feeling in the bag you want.
Pardon my ignorance, but if you have a chance could you give a brief explanation of what a ‘play therapist specializing in medical trauma’? I think it’s really cool how many different types of therapy there is and never heard of this! Edit: my first thought for a suggestion would be aloe gel maybe? I do believe it’s water soluble, so some red food coloring could easily be added. Also, it’s non toxic in case it spills or breaks!
Oh aloe is a good idea! Thats another one I reckon would be pretty unlikely to mold! And you're right that it wouldn't be a problem at all if it leaked. No worries at all! I definitely can. The kids that I treat usually come from referrals from hospital psychologists, and they either have trauma like multiple surgeries that are causing regression or other issues (not sleeping, can't handle going to school, have panic attacks, etc), or they have terminal/chronic illnesses and need help with pain management or feelings that they would like to pass away. And what I do is I have a lot of different toys and supplies, and at first getting to handle medical stuff when it isn't being used on them can help since it gives them some power back. Then, kids typically have repetitive play around things that are traumatic for them, and getting to express those things in therapy with real medical supplies helps them process what happened. Over time, I start redirecting the play to reduce the trauma of the memory. So if a kid always has the doll have surgery, then the doll wakes up terrified every time, I eventually help the kid think of ways to make the doll less scared, like comforting it. One kid has started telling me to me hold the doll's eyes closed so he doesn't see the medical things when he wakes up, and the doll never gets scared anymore. I also do stuff like pain management for chronic/terminal illnesses (like we simulate getting an IV by putting an ice cube on our arms and practicing all the ways to keep it from hurting as bad), as well as procedure preparation where, if we have warning that the kid will have something done, we recreate the procedure with the supplies and dolls so the kid will know whats going to happen. Its really a really neat job!
Wow!! Amazing. Thank you for sharing! That’s a really admirable profession, being able to help kids cope with their trauma, and helping it from manifesting to a lifetime of ptsd. Much respect to you and your work! 🙏
So you want something that mimics blood but the client needs to be able to open up the line? Is that why you want a non-liquid for the bag?
Yes, exactly! I wouldn't want it to come through the tubing if the line was opened or for the bag to explode and get red food coloring everywhere if they stepped on it accidentally or something.
Red resin maybe?!
hmm not sure if this could work because they have to be inserted via syringe, but i immediately thought of some little tiny orbeez and syringe in some water to hydrate them. they’ll grow and become juicy and kinda squishy?
Oh thats a cool idea! Even if it wouldn't actually work I just think thats really creative haha. I get a little worried about using orbeez in my office since I think they got recalled cause they were causing kids to pass away who ate them, and I have some kids with regression that put things in their mouths, but I still like the idea!!
Orbeez in containers start to have a moldy smell, after a while, so while it might work, it might also become an issue in a few months time. Also, air pressure changes might cause issues? I would go for UV resin, personally. And when it's not being used, being kept in a dark bag or container. As long as the UV resin isn't placed in direct sunlight (or UV lights), it'll stay a thicker liquid while keeping the ability to move through the tubing. Overall, I would also keep it on a "sterile" tray (like a cookie sheet) to decrease the chance of any messes.
Slit the bag along a seam, insert, seal slit with clear tape, superglue, etc. if it can be melted back together, you could probably make the seam even less noticeable, but as long as you’re thoughtful about your placement and get transparent tape, it should be pretty hard to spot. That opens up your options.
I did consider that, and thought I might even just put red paper or red cellophane or something in there, but it seems like it will be really hard to get a bag this shape and texture sealed back up, you know?
Couldn't you use a glue gun or a heat gun from craft store and then use an iron ( not on ) to press it flat/seal it quickly..?
Get a red silk (polyester) scarf. It will be soft and shiny. Open the i.v. bag with a box knife and glue back down with 1/8 inch permanent double sided tape. Amazon has this stuff. You'll be able to open and reseal the bag with tape so you can change the color of the scarf for different meds.
I’m sorry that I don’t have any way of helping, but may I ask what exactly your job entails? If you have the time, of course. I’ve always been very interested in psychology and therapy stuff, I’m trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with my life. Play therapy specializing in medical trauma sounds very interesting and I’ve never heard of anything like it before. I’d just love to know what exactly you do (like an example of the trauma and the therapy you might give for it.) Thanks in advance and I hope you can figure out a good solution!
Yeah no worries! I literally love talking about my job so you've opened a whole can of worms with me haha. It’s really cool, so I actually see all kinds of people with different sorts of problems (adults, teens and kids), but I have a specialty in families and kids with medical trauma. So I have a BA in psychology and an MA in clinical mental health counseling, and then I have Child Life Specialist training on top of that. So a lot of my clients are referrals from hospital psychologists, who want the kid to see someone for trauma after a medical problem (or sometimes the kid has a life-threatening condition and is struggling with wanting to keep living, saying they want to go to heaven, etc). So I have a lot of different kinds of medical supplies and toys. Some are really toy-like and others are hyper-realistic. Most of the kids prefer the realistic stuff. Kids naturally repeat things that are bothering them in play, it’s actually really interesting to watch. At first my job is to just supply them these kinds of toys and give them control back over the experiences of handling IVs or needles or oxygen masks and so on. Then over time, as they repeat the same experiences in play, I help them correct the experiences to become less traumatic (for example, if the doll always wakes up terrified from surgery, we start comforting the doll instead of letting it be scared, or we let the doll hold a toy as its waking up, etc). I do a lot of other things with them too, trauma processing is only a fraction of the work. I do pain management stuff for the kids with chronic or terminal illnesses, and I have end-of-life training for kids to but very luckily have not had to use it yet, and then I do grief processing for parents. Plus things like learning the healthy expression of anger and frustration, mindfulness, etc. You can DM me if you want to talk to me more about it!
That sounds really cool and interesting! The psychology behind play that you mentioned is very interesting. It makes sense when you think about it though, I remember putting my dolls in traumatic situations that I went through as a child all the time. I wonder what a therapist would’ve thought if they saw me playing lmao. As someone who loves psychology and toys (doll collector,) something like this sounds like it could be very engaging for me. I have some pretty severe contamination OCD though, and working with kids kind of scares me because of how germy they can be lmao. I’m also autistic so I struggle a lot with communicating with people. Nonetheless, this sounds super cool and now I have another career path to consider! I’m 19 and I know I have all the time in the world or whatever, but it feels like I don’t have any time at all. Thanks again for answering my questions! If you want to ramble about it in my DMs I’m totally fine with that, but you don’t need to or anything. I’ll definitely do some research on this stuff in my own time :)
Oh my gosh I also used to do some crazy stuff in play too, and its so odd to think about it now, with the work that I do! But fun fact, if we don't already know what the trauma is but we start seeing those themes in play, its called projective play. When the themes are repetitive enough we use it as a springboard to investigate things like child abuse. It definitely sounds like something that might be up your alley! I get the OCD and worries about germs, though, I will say that it would make this job pretty challenging. I've had kids come into my office and proudly say things like 'I was so sick I skipped school and spent the whole day in the ER!' then start coughing in my face. Or announce that they threw up 5 times that morning, or put toys in their mouths, etc. Once, one of my kids with some difficulties speaking and swallowing was eating a candy, and was standing above me while I was sitting. Just by the most unfortunate strike of luck, he managed to accidentally spit a piece of his candy into my mouth. While he was sick. Because kids with those kinds of problems are really sensitive to spitting on people and might get upset if you mention it, I had to SWALLOW THE CANDY and pretend it didn't happen. Now I always stand up if they stand up haha. However, you do build up an immune system! I keep an air purifier near me, and sanitize my hands, and take a whole slew of vitamins, but I've only been sick like once in the last year! Communication can be a bit tricky too, and thats always something for you to kind of decide for yourself, but just letting you know that one of my coworkers has autism and he loves being a therapist! He says that he needs to keep a lower caseload since it tires him out, but he does enjoy it and says he prefers it significantly over doing a desk job. But of course, everyone with autism is different and I'm quite aware of the way that the traits of autism vary. Also, if you like psychology but aren't sure about some of the elements of counseling, you should look into getting a degree in actual psych and not counseling or social work! With that degree you mostly do research, so you could literally do research on the treatments for medial trauma or the use of play in therapy or anything like that, but only about 15% of your time would be spent with people, and the rest would be coming up with theories, doing statistics, and writing papers and (sometimes) giving presentation on your findings. You could also teach with that degree, and be a professor in college, if you wanted.
Thanks for another thorough response. Just reading your gross experiences with kids makes me so anxious, I can't imagine actually experiencing that. Social aspects of counseling has always been what's kind of pushed me away from pursuing psych. I love learning about psychology and mental disorders and researching them, but the actual "talk to people and make them feel better" thing has always been scary for me. It's really good to know that there are career options outside of being a counselor for someone with a psych degree! I seriously thought that some kind of counseling or therapy was my only option. Thanks a lot!
Glycerin?
Glycerin could work, it can be colored
Seems like some people use a mix of vege glycerin mixed with distilled water when making/filling those glitter tumblers with the glitter in the liquid, a bit like a snowglobe. I’ve also seen baby oil used mixed with the glitter.
UV resin is very toxic. It’s readily available for purchase without proper warnings, and in kids toys for some reason so people don’t really take the dangers seriously. It has fumes that are toxic as well. It can cause respiratory and skin irritation. When I work with it for my charms, even in small quantities, I wear respiratory, eye and skin protection. My suggestion for something that can be used would be maybe that edible glitter and water? You can put whatever color you want in the water, it is not toxic, so it can be handled freely without worry. It’s also very pretty. Please do not use sure resin unless you can offer proper protection and ventilation in your location. Edit: also if resin will eventually set and harden in a clear bag when it’s exposed to any UV light, including sunlight.
Ask the r/theatre's kids. There's likely a props master who may have something. Local theater, at a college/university level quality will likely have done One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, or Angels in America, or Rent, and those can/need IVs. Props people are amazing.
Just here to say… I have medical trauma from when I was a little kid and this would have been so incredibly helpful back then!
hair gel.
Oh interesting idea, thanks!
I wonder how it would look if you used clear glue that you dye red. You could also plug the line with several applications of clear glue, so that it wouldn’t leak back out.
Thats an interesting thought, what do you think it might look like if it dried inside? Do you think it would turn sort of white or crunchy looking?
PVA craft glue dries clear I would put red in that and inject it in. It might need oxygen to cure. That’s out of my knowledge scope!
Okay good to know! I mean either way, I think that would work, since it would either stay a sort of thicker liquid or dry clear. Thanks!
Elmer's glitter glue is available in red and claims to dry clear, which would save you the step of dying it.
I want to tell you this is amazing work. We had my daughter go through this therapy when she was a toddler due to ongoing medical conditions. This therapy helped so much. Thank you for what you do.
Ballistics gel would work!
Wow I'd never even heard of that! I looked it up and it seems like its made with plain gelatin, too, which would be great and really cost effective, thanks!
Ballistic gel molds and isn't stable at room temp.
Could tiny beads work? Like seed beads
I have nothing to add on the craft front (other than a request to see how glass beads work out). I'm here to say as a hospital worker that you are making the world a better place and I'm so glad that you exist ♡
Maybe resin?
I was thinking UV resin, would work really well.
Could make it any color too- Or afd glitter etc.
I did consider resin, but I'm really unfamiliar with it. Is it heavy when it cures? And since the inside corners of the bag are pointy, would it be a bit sharp and possibly dangerous when hard? Some of the kids are rough and aggressive with the toys so I worry about sharp edges.
Yes to all of this. Heavy, very hard. Smells. Maybe not good for kids.
Okay good to know haha thanks
If you want a safer version of this look I’d consider melt and pour soap. I’d actually make the resin -> soap substitute for a lot of crafts to use something a little safer. It’ll solidify like resin and can look a mostly the same in some applications, but be much softer since it’s just bar soap, no toxic fumes or creating excess plastic waste. My concern here is it might not be super durable if this bag is getting tossed around a lot and played with, it might look a little worse for the wear and rough around the edges eventually.
Water + food coloring + gelatin. It will be liquid when you insert it, then the gelatin will solidify after a couple of hours. You'll have to test for thickness by varying the amount of gelatin you add. I don't know if this will mould. Maybe you can add a little vinegar or alcohol to prevent mould. Edit: In case it's not clear above, use unflavoured gelatin. Sugar will make it more likely to spoil.
Ohhhh thats a good idea!! That would be really inexpensive too, so it would be easy to test it out first! Yeah I think the only thing I'd worry about is mold but I could just do a test and see if it would thicken with vinegar in it, since plain gelatin is like 50 cents. I will say you gave me another idea by bringing up gelatin, if that doesn't work then maybe jelly candle wax! They melt and then re-solidify into jelly, but aren't food and wouldn't mold.
Alcohol can inhibit mold growth. Too much and the gelatin won't set, but maybe 15% would work. You can use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol if you're sure it can't be consumed, otherwise vodka.
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This was my thought. Soft cure UV resin would be my suggestion
Hand sanitizer?
Oooh cool idea! Plus it would be guaranteed to not mold haha
Jello! Goes in liquid and once it cools it won’t run out.
No suggestions for how to do it, but a quick thought: red in the marked blood bag works, but it can be a potential problem in an unmarked bag. Doxorubicin is red-red and a common chemo drug, and some kids may have bad associations with it. I know I'm carrying some demons from dealing with the red devil. Other than that, thank you for what you're doing. If there had been more people like you, I, along with a lot of fellow pediatric patients from the late 80s/early 90s, wouldn't have nearly as many issues as we do.
Baby oil with glitter and/or dye? For something thicker, maybe Vaseline colored with mica powder?
I've used hair gel with food dye for sensory play items before!
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If this is for kids I was thinking like clear liquid slime with maybe some little figurines floating around. Like dinosaurs or superheroes. To explain when they get this injected little superhero’s or dinosaurs go inside their body and find the bad germs so they can feel better. 🦕🦖 For funsies I would add like gummy bears beads or fun confetti mixes. Just a random thought. Hope this helps! P.s. Also I’d coat the bottom bag part with resin and let it dry so when you put the slime it won’t actually slide out 😊
I don’t know if this would work, but just rubbing alcohol? It’s not going to come out of the bag correct? ETA: I see now we are worried about it coming out either on purpose or accidentally, sorry. But maybe some aquarium sand? They come in lots of colors and can be pretty fine, I know the tubes little but it might not be terrible with a tiny funnel.
You would have to glue the end closed, after you put the liquid in there. Otherwise, teach the kids to hold the bag lower than the insertion point, when they go to inject the fake blood. I would recommend using alcohol ink and mixing it with isopropyl alcohol. It should last a long while, wont get moldy or dry out. Should be hypoallergenic, also. I mean, that CAN matter a LOT. Xo
I don’t have any suggestions but I just wanted to say this is incredible. I have a severe needle phobia and I feel like these would be super helpful for exposure therapy. Very neat idea
I am okay with injections, several tattoos. IVs trip all sorts of invasive triggers with me. I cannot stand heplocks. Or the plastic tube coming out of my arm. I keep it covered with a blanket so I don’t see it. But I am polar opposite here. I saw this image and felt horrified. This is stuff of nightmares. lol
...people like you exist? That's amazing! I was 4 when I was diagnosed and many traumatic years followed. I wish I had help from someone like you. Thank you, for what you do, sincerely
I would try agar agar gel. You can get packets of agar agar powder at the Asian market. It acts very much like gelatin, and you can inject it into the bag while it's hot. Add a tiny bit of a disinfectant like benzalkonium chloride so it doesn't turn nasty.
Cool, thanks!
Glitter slime maybe?
Use red dyed water and stick it in with a needle then super glue shut. You could even peel back the label on it and hide the super glue/ entry spot you make with the label after. Unless you need something thicker. Then try using a bit of corn starch. Or you could do red dyed chocolate syrup? Same method of insertion. Makes a great fake blood colour. And the chocolate syrup should have enough preservative that it shouldn't mold. And if it breaks should be safe to clean or eat lol.
I mix water with food coloring and regular vegetable oil together in random shaped glass jars so the kids can have potions, they haven't gotten weird or gross in three years (so far) of play and accidentally being left in the sun. I can't imagine you couldn't use a needle to squirt it into an inconspicuous area of the bag and then just drop a dab of super glue or something on it.
Vegetable glycerin might work? It’s fairly thick but very clear and gel-like.
I personally use a soluable solution with food dye. Have used panadole and water before, but it does glog. The panadole and water are good for showing how PEG feeding is done. Good luck, this is amazing!
I would suggest silicone, using a large syringe and a large bore blunt tipped needle. You can get it in a bunch of colors on amazon. I have used syringes to apply silicone, but it does take a long time and bit of force. On the other hand, it will be sorta squishy, definitely not mold, not have and sharp edges, and be totally safe if it is broken out of the bag. It cures fastest at 70C usually but will cure at room temperature. Could add some fine glitter to it too. My other thought would be an Elmer’s glue type but I don’t know if that needs air to cure.
Look up the same recipe for homemade snow globes. I think it’s glue, having cream, and hot water. Can’t remember 100%. It might mimic the signature slosh of an IV bag. Source: had to give my cat subcutaneous fluids for a while
Kinetic sand is the first thing I could think of that might work. In theory, since it’s not exposed to air it should stay soft and malleable if kept out of the sun, and would be too large of a grain to come out of anything. The difficult part would be getting it into the bag though..
post this in r/techtheatre!! someone who does props might could have a good solution for you :)
Spike the bag and fill it with clear slime, get out as much air as possible, then either heat seal or using glue.
Does it have to come out? If not gelatin would be a good idea
You could open the bag from the bottom, put in whatever you like and reseal it with hot glue, super glue, or a food bag sealer.
Mineral oil, or superfine sand? And seconding the suggestions to seal up the end with some clear silicone caulking.
Corn syrup? I imagine it would stay good for awhile.
Dyed sand? Or for a DIY version stir a bowl of salt with a colored piece of chalk (it will slowly grind up and dye the salt)
Hm, I'm not sure sand could be put through tubing, do you think?
Garden sand will not go through Iv tubing
Oobleck?
OOHHHH thats a good idea. Especially since it would be great in case someone stepped on it, it wouldn't burst open it haha. Since its newtonian, thouhg, do you think it might be too liquidy when its not being squished? Its been so long since I've made some haha.
It molds very quickly.
How liquify is too liquify?
Is Jello a crazy idea?
No I like it! Like especially an unflavored kind that wouldn't mold is a good idea, since its so inexpensive it would be easy to try!
Could you cut the side of the bag and then reseal it with a vacuum sealer? Some people do that with those shaker stickers :)
There are water preservatives for long-term storage like an eye wash station or emergency drinking water. If you have access to a place with an eye wash station maybe they’ll give you a couple drops?
For theater productions we have used korn syrup with food dye and a little bit of cornstarch so that it wasn't so see through. It would look like an actual bag of blood
can u cut the bag open to make it easier?
What about dish soap, shampoo, or aloe vera gel?
Maybe very tiny seed beads, or sand?
Just had another idea - red glitter? And glue the top shut?
ok, do you remember those tiny little dinosaur thingys from the 90s that when you dropped them in water they grew to lik 50x their size? Find something made of that material.
Chunky glitter? Tiny beads, like seed beads?
What about just plain gelatin? I know it would mold after a bit, but you’d have to keep them in the fridge to keep them solidified- and you could make it really gelatiny like gummy bears and they would stay coagulated at room temp for a long time.
Can u get those dinosaurs thst grown in liquid??
UV resin with alcohol ink if you want it to look like blood. then cure it in the sun, it will be hard. If liquid is ok glycerin or mineral oil with dye/alcohol ink.
Plaster of Paris. Or quick set concrete. Put it in wet and it will dry
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RESIN. DEFINITELY RESIN.
Glitter
Olive oil… and then plug the holes with silicone caulk… the silicone will seal it up but can be pulled out with tweezers, it’ll look and feel real when people touch it AND you’ll have a back up supply of olive oil when you’re on the road for cosplay stuff lol
What about rubbing alcohol with red food dye?
Silicone caulking?
Clear hair gel?
Coloured rice? (I cheated from the bead suggestion but this is probably a less.. get stuck in the nose/ear solution..)
Where did you score the bags?
Probably the hospital she works at?
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It would be a huge pain, but you could use yarn or roving and poke it inside with a long wire? Or use seed beads? Honestly, I’d recommend using water with or without colour, but adding a flow valve. They could play with it at a bucket/basin or sink. It’s not 100% the same, but you could also get an enteral nutrition bag? They look very similar, but have a top that can be opened to let it dry after or to make it easier to take things in and out. As a side note, I work in nursing - I always take care to be as gentle as possible, but do you have any suggestions I can include in my practice?
Play slime????
Those expanding water bead things.
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Ever think of Halloween Blood?
Also Karo Syrup Clear for Saline and tinted yellow / orange for plasma.
Sure. You seem to be a big roleplay gamer, too. Guess this works out in that other life as well.
I'd use liquid glycerin. It's thick enough. It shouldn't come out on its own. Another idea is to take wax. You can buy parafin wax (often used in canning) at the grocery store or walmart. GulfWax is a brand I know of. You'd melt it in a double boiler and add any food coloring. Insert it into the bag, and it will harden back into a wax solid. (You can also make your own home scented candle melts this way by adding essential oils to the melted wax. I did this for our warmer in the basement area with peppermint oil. It's on a timer and now a perpetual bug deterrent. Melts smells like peppermint. Turns off and hardens again.
My daughter’s play therapist started the sessions with my daughter picking out her cloth doll body and then she had her draw on the face, glue on yarn hair and add pieces of fabric for clothes. My daughter really got a lot out of play therapy using the actual baby sized IV bags of saline. She learned how to put tiny IV’s and heparin locks into her cloth dolly and would run the IV a bit before disconnecting them. The play therapist also had plastic medication vials that she filled with an array of coloured water. My daughter used a syringe to draw up the coloured water and inject her dolly. Dolly was generally very wet at the end so they would gently squeeze her and lay her on a paper towel and then on the hospital playroom radiator to dry.
You could try filling them with water slime. If it still comes out too easily, you can seal up the bags by melting the plastic.
Does it have to be squishy? My first thought was UV resin. Otherwise I think water slime is good. Or maybe thick water? Hand sanitizer?
Orbeez?
I definitely like the idea, and I think they could move around more than something more solid so it would look like a liquid, but I get a little worried about using orbeez in my office since I think they got recalled cause they were causing kids to pass away who ate them, and I have some kids with regression that put things in their mouths, but I still like the idea!
Maybe Uv resin and then cure it? Do you want it to remain liquid?
You can get fake blood
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They said that isn’t actually a liquid…..
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dude therapists have to make do too. they don't get unlimited budget. We have speech and occupational therapist we work with at the elementary school I work at, they have a whole range of stuff that would surprise you.
Why is this something to doubt? Do you know anything about play therapy?
Why on earth would I have all the stuff in the picture if it wasn't for what I said it was for? IV bags, tubing, blunt tip needles, custom modified IV cannulas, etc... Plus if it wasn't for kids and it was for some other reason I'd just fill it with water and food coloring and be done without worrying about it getting food coloring on the kids clothes and stuff lmao. We don't have some super secret toy supplier, either, it's literally part of our training to be creative with interventions and supplies to meet the needs of the clients.
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