5 Ways Child Life Specialists Make an Impact

When kids face medical experiences, they need emotional support to help ease discomfort and navigate overwhelming feelings that may come with a hospital stay.

Child life specialists are dedicated to the emotional and psychosocial well-being of children and their families. Undergoing a medical procedure or surgery can be scary for anyone — and child life specialists are specially-trained to guide patients and families with the stress and fear of a diagnosis or hospital visit.

Here are five important ways child life specialists help in a hospital:

1. They provide the value of play.

Therapeutic play is an essential part of a child life program as it helps kids become more familiar and comfortable in a hospital. From imaginative play to creative art activities, it provides developmental benefits and a sense of normalcy for patients. Using play in a hospital has been found to reduce children’s emotional distress and help them cope with medical experiences

2. They help prepare for medical events or procedures.

An important element of a child life program is preparing a kid for hospitalization, clinic visits, surgeries, and other medical procedures. This preparation is given based on the child’s age or developmental level to teach strategies to manage stress and ease worries. This can also help parents and caregivers have a better understanding of the hospital procedure.

Many findings show that formal preparation results in a decrease in post-traumatic stress, lower levels of fear and anxiety, increased cooperative behaviors, and better long-term coping and adjustment to future medical challenges.

3. They enhance coping skills during a stressful situation. 

Child life specialists support kids and teens with the stress, pain, and anxiety of medical procedures. They may use distraction techniques, guided imagery, and relaxation exercises to help patients process their experience and feelings.

4. They can be an advocate. 

While many professionals may focus primarily on the medical side of care, child life specialists make sure a patient’s emotional and psychosocial needs are met. They can be a child’s advocate to encourage health care teams to treat kids in a child-friendly and compassionate way.

5. They educate and support family members.

Child life not only cares about the patient, but also the well-being of caregivers and siblings. Family members may feel overwhelmed, highly anxious, and confused about a child’s diagnosis or treatment. Child life specialists can facilitate the family’s adjustment to the child’s illness and experience by providing information, support, and ways to manage their emotions.

It remains essential for child life specialists to be present in hospitals and health systems, so children and families can receive the highest quality of care.

Watch our video highlighting the important work of child life specialists.