Our Highlights
Child Life Month
The month of March is dedicated to celebrating and cheering on Child Life Specialists around the country.
Child Life Specialist: noun
A person who is educated and clinically trained in the developmental impact of illness and injury. Their role helps improve patient and family care, satisfaction, and overall experience.1
In both healthcare and community settings, Child Life Specialists are equipped to assist infants, children, youth, and families with the stress and uncertainty of acute and chronic illness, injury, trauma, disability, loss, and bereavement. They provide evidence-based, developmentally and psychologically appropriate interventions including therapeutic play, preparation for procedures, and education to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain.1
We are incredibly honored and proud to work alongside Child Life to continue to improve the hospital experience for pediatric patients and their families. Many times, we get asked: “What does Child Life mean to you?”. For us, this is an easy answer. What we have learned over the years from working in pediatric facilities, that many things come back to Child Life. Their job is not easy, but it makes a profound difference in the lives of millions of children and their families around the country.
Without Child Life, a pediatric patient’s experience in a hospital is exponentially scarier than it should be. There are sharp needles, terrifying sounds, unfamiliar words, and unknown people. Even the simplest of procedures or visits can cause anxiety in a child. Child Life is always there to comfort, answer questions, and engage children in ways that help them cope with hospitalization.
For the 3 million children hospitalized every year in the United States, Child Life Specialists understand the unique challenges that accompany a hospital visit. With enCourage Kids’ support and funding, together, we are making hospitals a better place to get better. Join us this month as we celebrate and share the stories of how Child Life makes a difference.
