Celebrating Child Life Month

As March rolls in with warmer weather and longer days, it is the perfect month to recognize some very special individuals in the healthcare field. March is Child Life Month, a time to celebrate the invaluable contributions, dedication, and commitment that child life specialists make to their patients every day.

In order to properly celebrate this wonderful profession, it is important to know what a child life specialist is and why their presence and programs are essential during a child’s medical experience. These incredible healthcare professionals work in a pediatric environment, providing support for children and families and minimizing stress and trauma during medical events.

According to Meghan Kelly, Director of Child Life at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center, “The initial distress of illness and injury, and unfamiliar faces and surroundings during a stay in the hospital may leave children feeling anxious, isolated and uncomfortable. Child life specialists recognize the unique emotional and developmental needs of children and their families throughout their healthcare experience and help them successfully cope through special programs and activities, so that they may continue to live normal lives during their medical journey.”

These programs and activities create a comfortable and familiar hospital environment while educating, preparing, and distracting each child through entertainment and age-appropriate play – and they are all planned by child life specialists.

Our Tablets are one resource that we offer child life specialists in helping with their therapeutic interventions.

We like to think of child life specialists as plain-clothed superheroes, as many of these individuals operate a one-person program in their hospitals. Because of this, enCourage Kids enthusiastically aids many child life programs through our Hospital Happenings and Clown Program, Care Rooms, Tablet Program, and Pediatric Hospital Support Program (PHSP). For child life specialist Gabrielle Marden, receiving a grant via our PHSP has allowed her to create and implement programs that fit the needs of New York Methodist Hospital.

“As a child life specialist who just started a brand new program, I need all the help and support I can get, and enCourage Kids has been outstanding! Child life programs, like children, have individual needs and the Pediatric Hospital Support Program recognizes that child life specialists are the best people to determine their unique needs. By giving each child life program the opportunity to create their own visions to meet each unique need in their program, enCourage Kids has an incredible and long-lasting impact on each program and the many children they serve.”

enCourage Kids is proud and honored to support these amazing individuals and share with them a mission of encouraging all kids facing health challenges to be carefree kids. To learn more about child life specialists and the programs they provide, please visit the Child Life Council website.