Nutrition intake in preschool children during hospitalization is very important for the healing process. Lack of nutritional intake consumed by preschool children will lead to obstacle to the healing process in hospital, and also can affect the growth and the development of children. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the nutritional intake for preschoolers during the hospitalization. This research aims to know the influence of therapy playing jars aroma to the nutritional influence on children of preschool during hospitalization in RSUD Sukoharjo.This research is quantitative research with pre-experimental design with pre-post test with one group approach. Population are preschoolers aged 3 – 5 years treated in the Orchid Room Sukoharjo RSUD in the last three months of April – June 2017 of 122 children. The sample in this study consisted of 31 children taken with non-probability sampling technique with purposive sampling approach. The research data collection using food weighing and filling questionnaire which then analyzed using Paired sample t-test analysis. Paired sample t-test results obtained with the value p= 0.000.The result of the analysis showed that with the therapy of playing jars aroma in preschool children who underwent hospitalization caused a significant change in nutritional intake when compared to before therapy aroma jars. Conclusion therapeutic aroma jars have a significant effect on the nutrition of preschool children during hospitalization. Suggestion: preschoolers who have nutritional intake during hospitalization are recommended to be given aroma jars therapy.
Key word: play therapy, aroma jars, nutritional intake, preschooler
