Child life services

Going to the hospital can be a frightening experience. To help ease the stress, HCA Midwest Health offers child life services for children, teens and families. The goal of the child life program is to provide a supportive environment where children can gain a better understanding of the hospital, surgery and medical treatments.

Child life specialists are trained to address the emotional needs of hospitalized children and adolescents. They use play and age-appropriate activities to create a comfortable environment in which children can express their fears and concerns. Our child life specialists provide:

• Introduce coping strategies to help reduce anxiety and enhance cooperation with the health care team.
• Opportunities for play and expressive activities to normalize the environment and encourage normal development.
• Prepare children for medical procedures, surgery, diagnoses and treatment using language that children understand.
• Provide support and distraction during medical procedures.
• Promote family-centered care by providing information, advocacy and support to families of pediatric patients.
• Provide bereavement support to families.

Our child life specialists provide many different types of support, including:

• Child life specialists enhance a patient's emotional, social and cognitive growth during a hospital stay, giving special consideration to each child's family, culture and individual stage of development.
• Facilitate developmentally appropriate play — including medical play — at the bedside, in activity rooms and in clinic areas.
• Help patients develop ways to cope with fear, anxiety, separation and adjustment to the hospital experience.
• Provide consultation to the health care team regarding developmental and psycho-social issues.
• Provide preparation and personalized support before and after medical procedures.
• Using developmental interventions and play, child life specialists help patients and families understand and adjust to their medical situation during a hospital stay.
• Work with siblings of patients to help them understand the hospital experience.

Each child life specialist holds a bachelor or master degree in child development, psychology or a related area. Furthermore, all child life specialists have completed a child life internship in the hospital setting and are professionally certified through the national Child Life Council.

Areas staffed:

• General pediatric floor
• Pediatric inpatient unit
• Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Unit/Pediatric Pre-op
• Pediatric sedation
• Pediatric-friendly emergency department
• Consults in NICU and adult units