Spotlight: Child Life Services
Lonely, scared, nervous, stressed... these are all words a child might use to describe her feelings about going to the hospital. But what if she and her family knew what to expect before arriving? And what if the child discovered that an activity room filled with toys, games and arts and crafts activities awaited her?
Talking to children and their families before hospital visits and arranging activities to keep patients engaged while they're here are just two examples of the many things Child Life specialists do at Children's Hospital Boston to improve the hospital experience. Child Life specialists, who have undergraduate or graduate degrees in Child Life, Child Development or Education, serve as liaisons between doctors, nurses and patients, doing everything from supervising educational activities at the bedside to mentally preparing patients for medical procedures. In short, they help the patient with the emotional aspects of care, while the clinicians concentrate on the medical aspects.
For example, if a patient needs an X-ray, a Child Life specialist can talk her through what will happen using child-friendly language. "With younger children, I'll often explain the procedure by playing doctor with them," says Kirsten Fowler, Child Life specialist on 8 North and West. "With older children, I might ask them what they think the procedure will be like, so I can clear up any misconceptions."
Specialists also help normalize the patient experience, keeping kids as connected as possible to their outside lives. "I worked with one child who was at the hospital for over six months," recalls Fowler. "The family shared his education plan from school with me, and I was able to connect him with a tutor while he was in the hospital so he wouldn't fall behind in his studies."
The Child Life profession evolved out of research in the early part of the 20th century showing that the high rate of infant deaths in hospitals was related to sensory deprivation and a lack of human contact. Play helpers and teachers were hired to ease young patients' boredom, loneliness and anxieties. In the 1970s, the profession and its educational requirements became better defined. Since then, the number of Child Life programs at hospitals with pediatric programs has grown—Children's has one of the largest, with 23 specialists in various inpatient and outpatient areas of the hospital. And today, a number of colleges and universities offer Child Life majors.
To recognize the Department of Child Life Services, Children's celebrated Child Life Week April 4 to 8. The week featured two events—Puppy Pre-Op and a Nursing/Child Life Exemplar. Puppy Pre-Op allows children to bring their own stuffed animals to the Patient Entertainment Center and walk them through typical pre-operative procedures. The stuffed animals are "admitted" to the hospital, where they undergo physical exams, having their vital signs and X-rays taken, blood drawn and being fitted with a bandage or cast. Children's staff and employees from various departments take part in the event.
The exemplar was a joint presentation by Nursing and Child Life highlighting family-centered care and diversity. "Child Life specialists work very closely with nurses and other members of the care team to support patients and their families," says Myra Fox, director of Child Life Services. "It's really a team effort."
