Child-Family Life staff are experts in helping families cope with illness and hospitalization. They provide services that focus on all three areas in their name: child, family and life.
Child
Our staff work with children from infancy through adolescence and provide age-appropriate opportunities to understand what is happening to them and express feelings about their healthcare experiences.
- New diagnosis education
- Education and preparation for medical procedures
- Procedural support and coping skill development
- Medical play opportunities
- Pre-surgery hospital tours
- Therapeutic interventions to promote coping
We know that parents and family members are the best source of support and comfort for their child. When all family members feel comfortable and confident in the healthcare environment, the patient will feel more secure. Child-Family Life supports family members through:
- Helping parents understand their child’s behavior in the healthcare setting
- Helping parents learn how to support their child during procedures
- Helping siblings understand illness and the effect it can have on them
Life
Hospitalized and chronically ill children need to grow and develop as they normally would at home and in their community. In order to facilitate normal growth and development in the hospital setting, Child-Family Life specialists help children learn and express themselves by supporting:
- Creative programming
- Play and interaction with other children
- Playroom activities
- Special hospital events
- Special community guests
