The Child Life department is a crucial part of Blank Children’s Hospital as it eases the anxiety and fears children have undergoing treatment. March is Child Life Appreciation Month. UnityPoint recognizes this team’s work to give our patients and families the tools and information they need to understand their illness or treatment and cope with fear, pain, or grief.
Child Life specialists do many things to help children and families understand their hospital visits in simple terms. They use language to make our patients and parents more comfortable and teach them coping skills to use during their stay. These coping skills include distractions, breathing techniques, and suggested comfort positions to use during uncomfortable times in treatment.
Child Life specialists use toys and the hospital play area to normalize the hospital experience and bring joy and comfort to patients and their families. The department receives donations from many donors, and their wish list is an easy way to give back to the Child Life program. Find the Child Life Amazon wish list here. It includes books, toys, clothes, and other necessities families might need during their hospital stay.
A child recently cared for by the Child Life team said, “Child Life has helped me out in knowing that there is nothing to be afraid of. Knowing that if there is something scary, that they are by your side and able to help”.
See more about children who have been patients at Blank Children’s and their experience with the Child Life team in this video.
UnityPoint thanks all the Child Life specialists and team for being wonderful supporters of the children at Blank Children’s Hospital. They also thank everyone who has donated books, toys, supplies, and more for children to make their hospital stay more fun.
