Nitty Gritty

• Emotional Roller coaster
• You'll become very attached to the children
• Children will pass away
• The median expected salary for a typical Child Life Specialist in the United States is $44,033

Want to Become a Child Life Specialist?

This website has all the resources, information, and up to date applications to become a child life specialist. Good luck!

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Interviews

Name: Danielle

Hospital: St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho

1)      What is your job as a child life therapist?

I do a variety of things. The basic premise of what we do is to help children through their hospital stay. If a child has to go through a procedure, we try to help them through that with books that show what will be done to them, or even by using dolls. We basically just try to create a sense of normalization in their lives and that can be done in their hospital room as well. We will give them things to do in their own rooms while they stay here, or we allow them to go to our play room and spend time with them there. We also provide family support while their children strive to get better.

2)      What kind of play do the therapists use with the Children?

Well we aren’t play therapists per say, but we use play to help children cope with their feelings and also to give them something normal. So we use play in helping kids cope through difficult situations and reach normalization. We also help the children with play by helping them get stimulation. And of course we use play to see that they are properly developing. They can also use the play room where there’s medical play to get the emotions out.

3)      How often do you meet with the children?

It really just depends on the child. The first day we do what we call a ‘meet and greet’. We meet the child and their parents and give them a toy. Some children will just take that toy and will be fine for the rest of their stay. Other children need more attention. The longer they stay, the more attention we give them. Obviously the seriousness of their state of health and their procedures effects this greatly.

On a daily basis that can be anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour.

4)      So for those children you just described, how often do you visit with them in particular?

On a daily basis that be anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour.

5)      What qualifies someone to become a child life specialist?

A lot of the qualifications and information is found on childlife.org. This really is the only organization that governs our profession. It tells you what you need to do in order to be able to have this kind of a job. I’m pretty sure it asks for something like 10 child development credits, and definitely a Bachelor’s in some form of child care whether it’s child development, child life, or even elementary education. They are actually considering changing it to requiring a masters degree now though. 

Another Interview

A Day In the Life

Child Life Specialist 

by Dana Givens

My day at Le Bonheur Children's starts out on 7 west which is the cardiac and surgical floor. It is a very busy time in the morning with medical staff are checking charts for patients to go to procedures. I work closely with the medical team to prepare patients for procedures such as going to the Starlight Room,surgery, central line/PICC line placements, and IV starts to name a few.

In the morning I talk with the charge nurse and she fills me in on how the patients are doing and what medical procedure they will be having today. In discharge planning I get more information about the patients and families and what we, as a team, need to do to help them get home. Discharge planning involves many departments working together such as: child life, social work, case management, pharmacy, nutrition, spiritual care and surgery nurse practitioner.

My mid-morning is spent preparing my patients for procedures that they will have. I provide age appropriate/developmentally preparation for patients who will be getting a medical procedure done that might be scary or frightening. I make sure that the patients have an opportunity to have all their fears and questions addressed before their procedure.

I provide this through using pictures, medical equipment, and teaching dolls to prepare patients for their procedures, focusing on what the patient will feel, hear, see and smell. Sometime patients need extra support during their procedures. I am there to help them along the way and provide procedural support, having a familiar face and words of encourage can go along way.

I love to encourage my patients to have some fun! An important part of post surgical care is to get out of bed and walk, or as we say in the hospital, ambulate. One of the ways I encourage my patients to get up and walk is to invite them to join in on the Child Life special events. Game-a-palooza was lots of fun for the patients, families, and staff. I had lots of fun helping my patients' play and they won some cool prizes and got to walk around, which is just what the doctor ordered!

I often use art activities to help me better understand what my patients are going through and how they feel about their hospitalization. Emotions and feelings can often be represented through art. This gives me a chance to make sure they are coping well with being in the hospital. Tie-dyeing was a blast and very informative!

Another way that I make sure that my patients are coping well is to encourage them and their family to use the playroom. What better way to assess how a child is doing than to see them play? Many times patients face situations in the hospital that can be scary. Providing them with a safe environment where they can be themselves is very important to their hospital stay. After all play is what children do best!

Becoming a Child Life Specialist

To become a Child Life Specialist, the following qualification should be met:  

Education
A Bachelors or Masters degree in Child Life, human development or related field. Beginning 2012, a minimum of one course taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist is required. 

Experience
Completion of an internship in a pediatric setting under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist. Experience with children and families in a non-healthcare environment. Must do at least 480 hours of work. 

The following clinical skills:

• Knowledge of behavior and development
• Leadership
• Good communication
• Knowledge and understanding of group dynamics and its principles
• Ability to organize
• Ability to play

Other Benefits

• Parents are given comfort and support along with child
• Pre-Admission Tours
• A Child's Guide to Surgery
• Coping and Support
• Preperation

Music Therapy

Music therapy is the systematic, applied use of music in a therapeutic setting. Music therapy applications serve to improve or maintain physical, emotional, social, and/or cognitive functioning. Methods used in music therapy include songwriting, active playing, listening, improvisation, singing, movement, and relaxation exercises (music listening, imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.) Specifically, the Pediatric Unit at Ministry Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital aims to provide music therapy services to:

-Provide comfort and support to patients and families

-Improve patient's quality of life                                  

-Encourage communication/socialization

-Offer verbal as well as nonverbal opportunities for self-expression 

-Encourage family involvement when appropriate

-Enhance self-esteem

-Provide opportunities for functional activity

-Provide opportunities for independence

-Encourage rehabilitative goals when appropriate

-Offer sensory stimulation

-Serve as a facilitator/motivator

-Assist with relaxation/anxiety/pain management

-Improve cognitive skills

-Assist other therapies in encouraging success of patient






Music Therapy

Pet Therapy

The Pet Therapy Program at Ministry Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital is designed to provide emotional support and comfort to patients by providing therapeutic interactions with specially trained dogs and cats. This therapy is done in an effort to normalize the environment and help reduce the stress of hospitalization. In addition, Pet Therapy may enhance positive physical, cognitive, emotional and social interactions. Each volunteer handler must complete volunteer training through Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital Volunteer Services. All therapy dogs are Delta Certified and must pass a series of skills and aptitude tests to become certified. All animals are cleaned and well groomed before each visit and must be free from overt diseases and have an up-to-date vaccination history.

Pet Therapy

http://ministryhealth.org/SJCH/ChildLife.nws

Pet Therapy

http://ministryhealth.org/SJCH/ChildLife.nws

The Importance of Play: Therapeutic Play

A normal activity of childhood, play helps children develop a sense of mastery in a challenging setting and can enable him or her to exert some control in a difficult environment. Child Life specialists are skilled in leading play that helps children cope and heal. Play can provide a relief from the unpleasant aspects of the health care experience.

Preparing for Surgery

History

The field of child life began to flourish in the United States and Canada in the early 1960s through the pioneering work of Emma Plank (and others) who trained with Maria Montessori and used the principles of child development to promote appropriate care for this special population in the hospital. Prior to this time, it was not uncommon for parents to be excluded from the pediatric wards of hospitals except for brief visitation hours, sometimes just on weekends. Today, we acknowledge the special emotional and educational needs of children by providing an environment and programs which facilitate the primary role of family, and support which encourages adjustment to the hospital and to health care through the growing years.

http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/careers/child-life-specialist

Characteristics of a Typical Child Life Specialist

• Enjoys working with children and parents
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Can adjust language and demeanor to the developmental and emotional state of the child
• Works well with a variety of health care professionals and other support people
• Can manage the emotional stress inherent in working with children who have life-threatening diseases
• Can manage a variety of tasks simultaneously
• Is able to explain complex medical procedures and information to all ages (http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/careers/child-life-specialist).

What does a child life specialist do?

The profession of child life was created to help children and their families navigate the emotionally and physically demanding process of coping with hospitalization. Child life specialists use their knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate interventions to educate, prepare and support children through difficult tests, procedures and the sometimes drastic changes that happen within their families due to chronic or acute illness, treatment and recovery. As part of the health care team, child life professionals advocate for the special needs of children and their families. Child life programs provide children with opportunities to engage in normal play and recreational activities that promote growth, development and feelings of success and fulfillment. Child life professionals promote the role of parents and other family members as full partners on the health care team and promote the philosophy of patient- and family-centered care (http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/careers/child-life-specialist).