Child Life Specialists
Child Life specialists are dedicated to meeting the growth and developmental needs and enhancing the coping skills of infants, children, and adolescents while they are in the hospital.
Child Life specialists are available to:
- Use real and pretend medical equipment during play to help children understand what will happen during a procedure
- Teach children coping techniques so they can calm themselves during procedures, and help manage pain. For example, children can take slow, deep breaths, count or sing their favorite song.
- Will help distract children during procedures with such items as bubbles, rain sticks, books and view masters
- Provide toys and other bedside activities
- Help families adjust to the hospital
- Provide playgroups and opportunities for peer socialization
- Consult with parents and staff on a child's particular needs while in the hospital
The Child Life team consists of:
- Child Life specialists
- Expressive arts therapists
- Activity coordinators
- Child Life interns and art therapy interns
- Child Life volunteers, who often access the Robbie Fund Discovery Carts (in the waiting areas of medical imaging and the blood lab) to provide arts and crafts, puzzles and games
To contact us, call 773.880.4000 and ask for ext. 2060
For information on the child life profession go to www.childlife.org
Information on child life internships is available here.
Information on art therapy internships is available here.