2. • A Child Life Specialist is a
professional who is specially trained
to help children and their families
understand and manage challenging
life events and stressful healthcare
experiences (childlife).
3. • Focus on the emotional and developmental
needs of the child or teen
– Specialist in typical development
• Therapeutic Play
– Developmentally appropriate
explanations
– Medical interpreter
4. • Provide procedural preparation
– Emotional coping w/ hospital experience
– Psychosocial needs
• Describe what the patient will experience
(see, smell, hear, taste, feel, general time
frame things will take place)
• Talk with siblings and family to sensitize
the situation
5. • Work of Childhood
• Children learn through play what others cannot teach them
• Intellectually stimulates the child
• Provides feedback
• Means of physical activity and education
6. • Many children have misconceptions
about procedures
• Purpose is to soothe the child’s
anxiety
• Use a doll as a “Patient”
7.
8.
9.
10. • Use of play to distract the child
from a procedure
• Different for children depending
upon age
11.
12.
13. • Minimum 10 Child Dev. Courses/ Family Life
• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree
– Masters degree required by 2022
• Minimum 1 course taught by CCLS
• Internship requirement
– -Practicum preferred, not yet required
14. • Volunteer work:
– Hospital with Child Life Dept. (100 hours)
– Grief and Loss Center
• Death and Dying/ Grief and Loss
• Certification Test
• Optional:
– Foreign language
– Medical terminology
• The more experience you can get, the better off you
will be
15. Canvas Art Expression
Project
• Fifteen (15) patients and siblings
participated in a project designed to
encourage grief and therapeutic relief
through art
• 3 weeks to collect portraits
• Final product was an art collage displayed
of the artists’ work
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21. Sources
• (2014). What is a Child Life Specialist? Child Life Council.
Retrieved on December 4, 2014. http://www.childlife.org/The
%20Child%20Life%20Profession/
• (2014). Advanced Degree Requirement Overview. Child Life Council.
Retrieved on December 1, 2014.
http://www.childlife.org/Certification/AdvancedDegree2022/inde
x.cfm
Thomas, C. C., Thompson, R. (2009). The Handbook of Child Life: A
Guide for Pediatric Psychosocial Care. Pp. 143-145, 160-172.
Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD: Springfield, Illinois
• Interview with Brickner, T. October 5, 2011.
