Reading the local newspaper this morning I came across something that really warmed my heart. I wanted to post about it here instantly, since though it wasn't about quilting, it was about crafting, charity, and caring for small children, which I KNOW so many here do.

The article was about how a Danish man had given his preemie daughter a crocheted squid (octopuss? not sure what the difference is since they are called the same in Swedish lol) and how they discovered that she, and other preemies given the same kind of toy, would stop pulling on their feeding tubes etc and instead hold on to the arms of the squid. Some people got together and organized people who wanted to make these squids and give them to the hospitals all over Denmark. Early this year a group started in Sweden too and the hospital in our town, Örebro University Hospital (where I had both my children), is one of the recipients.

Apart from having the babies leave the important tubes alone to instead hold on to the toy, it seems the toy has a calming effect (according to the article). I don't know how good the science is behind that finding, but I hope it's good.

This is a picture from the article so you can see the toys:
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And look at this beauty, from the blog organizing this in Sweden:
Click image for larger version.  Name: Squids3.jpg  Views: 273  Size: 79.7 KB  ID: 54330
She was born after only a little over 31 weeks.

The blog is here: Virka bläckfisk « Babydjungeln
It's in Swedish but if interested, it would probably translate fairly well.

I know a fair few of you are involved with charities for children in hospitals and so you might know - is this something that is done over in the US? Or Britain? Or other places? My crocheting is not at all that good or I would make some too - maybe one day.