Child life specialist
1400834
209032362
2008-04-29T17:02:57Z
Carleyj
6266953
/* About */ change-noted this is focused on Child Life in America
'''Child life specialists''' are [[pediatrics|pediatric]] [[health care]] professionals who work with patients, their family and others involved in the child’s care in order to help them manage stress and understand medical and various procedures.<ref>Armstrong-Dailey, A. and Zarbock, S. (2001) ''Hospice Care for Children.'' Oxford University Press US. p. 251.</ref> "The objectives of such services will be to minimize the negative impact of situational disruptions while maintaining individual growth and development and family relationships."<ref>[http://www.childlife.org/About/profession_mission_vision.htm Professional Mission Statement.] [[Child Life Council]]. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref><ref>[http://www.childrenshospital.org/patientsfamilies/Site1393/mainpageS1393P4sublevel48.html Child Life Specialists]. Boston Children's Hospital. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
==About==
A child life specialist in America is a [[professional]] traditionally employed in the [[hospital]] setting. He or she focuses on the [[psychosocial development]] of [[children]], and encourages effective coping strategies for children and their families under stress.<ref>Swanson, B.M. (2005) ''Careers in Health Care.'' McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing. p 45.</ref> Child life specialists recognize individuality in patients, and use a range of developmentally appropriate activities, including play, preparation for a [[medical procedure]], education, self-expression, and family support to help cope with hospitalization, illness, or death and dying.<ref>[http://www.stlouischildrens.org/tabid/96/itemid/1251/What-Does-A-Child-Life-Specialist-Do.aspx What Does a Child Life Specialist Do?] St. Louis Children's Hospital. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref> Child life specialists are trained to take into account the [[cognitive]], emotional, and physical development of each child in order to encourage optimum development of [[children]] facing a challenging experience, particularly one relation to healthcare and hospitalization. This sets them apart from all other healthcare professionals.<ref>[http://www.lifespan.org/services/hr/stc/careers/direct-care/child_life_spec.htm Child Life Specialist]. Lifespan Youth. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref><ref>[http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/childlife-career.html Child Life Specialist Career Overview.] Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
==Services==
Child Life Specialists collaborate with parents and other healthcare professionals to meet the distinct needs of children in managing the effects of stress and trauma. Because children may feel overwhelmed, child life professionals help children gain a sense of familiarity and control of their environment through much play and exploration inside the healthcare facility. Understanding that a child’s wellbeing depends on the support of the family, they also provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members.<ref>[http://www.childlife.org/The%20Child%20Life%20Profession/ What is a Child Life Specialist?] Child Life Council. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
Services that a child life specialist provides include:
* Psychological preparation for tests, surgeries, and other medical procedures
* Support during medical procedures
* Therapeutic medical and recreational play
* Activities to support/enhance normal growth and development
* Sibling support
* Support for grief and bereavement
* Emergency room interventions
* Hospital pre-admission tours
* Outpatient consultation with families
* Educate caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress.<ref>[http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/careers/demand/child-life/ Child Life Specialist job duties.] Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref><ref>[http://careercenter.tamu.edu/guides/resources/jobtitles/childlife.html Child Life Specialists]. Texas A&M University Medical Center. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
Child life specialists work with patients and families in many settings, such as inpatient units, surgical areas, outpatient clinics, the [[Pediatric Intensive Care Unit]], the [[Emergency Department]], and the [[Neonatal Intensive Care Unit]]. Although child life specialists typically function in the hospital setting, their skills make them especially trained to support children and families in other settings, such as [[hospice]], dental care, schools, specialized camps, funeral homes, or wherever children face experience stress or trauma. In each of these areas, child life interventions focus on the individual needs of the child and family.<ref>[http://www.hmc.psu.edu/childlife/ Penn State Child Life Program]. Penn State University. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
==Interventions and pain management techniques==
There are many physical, emotional, and cognitive stressors that accompany a hospital stay. Child life specialists use child-centered interventions and pain techniques to work with the patient and family members to help them cope with hospitalization and medical procedures.
The interventions include encouraging parent presence and participation in care; showing parent(s) how to participate and be involved; talking and communicating frequently with patients in a calm manner; avoiding child discomfort; providing choices when appropriate; being realistic and truthful with youth and adolescents, and; providing age-appropriate activities that foster a sense of accomplishment. [[Pain management]] techniques child life specialists practice include sharing music, favorite toys or objects, encouraging words and statements, singing, videos, comfortable positions and places, and using humor.<ref>Wittenburg, R. (1995) ''Opportunities in child care careers.'' McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing. p. 18.</ref>
==Education and certification==
[[Bachelor's degree|Bachelors]] and [[Masters degree]] programs focused on child life include a variety of [[coursework]], including [[child health]] systems, child life, the role of the child life specialist, the meaning and development of [[play]], child life methods and materials, issues and processes, and alternative applications of child life. Many programs also include a [[practicum]] or [[internship]].<ref>[http://www.wheelock.edu/academics/u_acadchildlife.asp Child Life Specialist Concentration]. [[Wheelock College]]. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
The child life profession can be challenging and competitive. It is one that demands excellence, as they are responding to a number of different and complex issues by applying their unique accumulation of knowledge and skills in healthcare settings and elsewhere. Thus, it's important for child life specialists to have a basic mastery of child development and the initiative to learn to skills as they become increasingly valuable to their organizations.<ref>[http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/careers/demand/child-life/education.htm What are a child life specialist's educational requirements?] Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref><ref>[http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/childlife-rch.html Child life specialist - Rochester, Minnesota.] Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
The Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credentialing program is a rigorous, examination-based professional certification credential. Certified child life specialists have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree, with an educational background that includes human growth and development, education, [[psychology]], and [[counseling]]. They are required to complete a 480-hour clinical internship program and a rigorous application and examination process. The only certification program for Child Life Specialists is through the [[Child Life Council]], or CLC.<ref>[http://www.childlife.org/Certification/ Certification for the Child Life Specialist.] [[Child Life Council]]. Retrieved 4/28/08.</ref>
==See Also==
* [[Children's hospital]]
* [[Pediatrics]]
* [[Children's hospice]]
* [[Medical social work]]
* [[List of children's hospitals]]
* [[Child Life Council]]
* [[Play Therapy]]
* [[Child development]]
* [[Early childhood education]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.childlife.org Child Life Council]
*[http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;106/5/1156 AAP Policy Statement]
*[http://childlife.org/Certification/index.cfm Child Life Certification]
*[http://www.TeenHealthFX.com Interactive Health Education]
*[http://www.adolescenthealth.org Society of Adolescent Medicine]
*[http://www.starbrightworld.org Starbright Children's Foundation]
[[Category:Healthcare occupations]]
[[Category:Pediatrics]]