The Child Life Services Department at Niswonger Children’s Hospital offers a number of services designed to make the hospital experience as positive as possible for both patients and families.
Child Life Specialists are certified professionals who work with children in the Niswonger Children’s Hospital to prepare them for procedures, help them express fear or anxiety related to their hospital experience and provide opportunities for normal growth and development through play.
The Child Life Services team is committed to making the hospital experience as positive as possible for both patients and families. Child Life Services include activities and explanations that children can understand, including therapeutic play and interventions and medical play, which promote coping skills and foster continued growth and development. They also provide procedural and surgical preparation and support; and coping education and pain management before, during and after a stressful event, such as an IV start, blood draw, MRI or surgery.
They provide advocacy for family-centered care through family and sibling support, including sibling visits for long-term or critically ill patients, coordinated holiday celebrations, visits from community groups and pet therapy and special visitor events.
They also provide education on growth, development and reactions to hospitalizations, and support and preparation to return to school after an extended hospitalization or a change in physical appearance.
Melanie Redding and Amanda Ward from Niswonger’s Child Life Services Department join us for a call-in show designed to educate the public about the services that they offer. For more information on the Child Life Services Department, check out their website.
