|
CAMC
Women and Children's Hospital
Child life services
Child Life works closely with families and health care providers to treat the whole child, making every effort to minimize the stress of a hospital experience through the following services:
Assessment of development and coping while in the hospital
-
Emotional support
-
Preparation for and support during procedures
-
Coping/pain management
-
Developmental stimulation
-
Behavioral management
-
Parent and sibling support and education
-
Bereavement support
Other services
Child
life therapist’s role
The role of the child life therapist is to observe and assess children to determine the level of developmental appropriateness of psychosocial behavior, coping and parent/child relationships and to help prepare children and reduce the stress associated with medical procedures by providing therapeutic interventions such as medical play and procedural support.
Parents’
role
Parents are the most important support system a child has. They play a vital role during events such as hospitalization. For children, having a parent present helps them adapt more quickly to the hospital environment and, typically, children feel more comfortable and secure when parents are a part of the care team in medical environments.
More information
Child Life Therapist
Women and Children’s Hospital
(304) 388-2596
www.childlife.org
|