What is Child Life?
To me, medical play is the most rewarding aspect of being a child life specialist.
It is great to see a child gain a sense of mastery over the hospitalization experience.
Child life specialists are trained
professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome
life’s most challenging events. Armed with a strong background in
child development and family systems, child life specialists promote
effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression
activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum
development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences,
particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Because they
understand that a child’s wellbeing depends on the support of the family, child
life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents,
siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating
caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children
under stress. www.childlife.org
Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events. Armed with a strong background in child development and family systems, child life specialists promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Because they understand that a child’s wellbeing depends on the support of the family, child life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress. www.childlife.org