Child Life

Pre-surgery Tours Temporarily Suspended

As a part of our ongoing efforts to protect our patients, families, and staff members from the risk of COVID-19, the Child Life team has suspended all pre-surgery tours. Please watch the video above for lots of great information about what to expect on your surgery day.

What is a Child Life Specialist?

Being sick or hospitalized is difficult for children. In addition to the physical discomfort of illness, they may feel frightened, confused and overwhelmed. In essence, kids need more than medicine to get well. At CHKD, we understand that.

Our child life specialists work with patients and families to help children feel more comfortable and more in control of their hospital stay.

Child life specialists help reduce the patients' and families' anxiety and adjust to the hospital experience. Through the use of age-appropriate interventions, they help children understand their illnesses and medical procedures and develop positive coping skills.

Child life assistants encourage play for patients as they learn about their world and how to cope with new experiences. Through play, children can express their feelings and gain a sense of control.

Services We Provide

• Family support to help adjust to the hospital
• Medical play to become more familiar with the medical equipment and procedures, and encourage expression of feelings
• Sibling visits to help brothers and sisters understand why their sibling is in the hospital
• Coordination of special celebrations such as birthdays and holidays
• Activities to help bridge the gap between home and the hospital
• Psychological preparation and pre-operation tours to help patients and siblings understand and cope with healthcare experiences
• Emotional support and coping techniques, such as guided imagery, deep breathing and diversion
• Activity room and bedside programming to promote normalization to the hospital experience, peer interaction and independence

Child Life Team Members