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When infants, children, and teens enter the health care setting
they leave behind the security of home and sometimes experience separation from family and friends as they enter a world that
is unknown. Normal routines such as sleeping, meals, school and play may change. These changes, along with those
directly related to the injury or illness, in a child’s or teen’s life produce stress and anxiety. The Child
Life program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s
Hospital at Vanderbilt helps infants, children, teens, and their families in inpatient
and outpatient settings cope with this stress and anxiety. Child Life Specialists work with patients and families to reduce the stress and anxiety
that may be associated with the healthcare experience. They work to meet the developmental, psychosocial, educational, and
emotional needs of patients and families by: - Promoting normal growth and development through play and activity rooms
- Providing opportunities to help children enhance their
self-esteem and retain appropriate independence
- Advocating for non-medical needs of patients and families
- Increasing patients' and families’ understanding of hospital experiences
In order to address social,
emotional and psychological needs, Child Life offers the following services:
- Prepare children, teens and families for hospitalization, procedures,
and surgeries in ways they can understand
- Provide psychological preparation before medical procedures to help patients and families better understand the hospital
experience
- Provide emotional support
during and after procedures or stressful events.
- Address misconceptions and answer questions about health care experiences through play
- Provide opportunities for medical play, helping children better understand
the healthcare experience by addressing misconceptions and answering questions about their experiences
- Provide play opportunities and peer interactions in the playroom,
the adolescent activity room and at bedside
- Provide sibling support, including education regarding patient’s diagnosis, treatment, and the hospital environment
- Advocate for family centered care
- Offer emotional support to parents,
siblings, and other family members
- Coordinate
holiday, entertainment, donations, and special visitor vents
- Facilitate school re-entry
- Coordinate volunteers to give families breaks, help provide infant stimulation, and play activities for patients
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