Do You Know Child Life?

Crying is a natural response that can serve as a release for pent-up emotions such as tension, anger, and hurt. It allows individuals to express and process their feelings, providing a cathartic effect. Crying can help relieve emotional distress and promote psychological well-being. While it may be seen as unnecessary, unhealthy, or immature by some, it is a valid and important emotional response that can contribute to emotional healing and growth.

A Child Life Specialist can work in all of the above units. Child Life Specialists are professionals who provide emotional support and therapeutic play to children and families during their hospital stay. They are trained to work in various settings, including pediatric units (Peds/PICU), neonatal intensive care units (NICU), surgical units, and emergency departments. They help children cope with the stress and anxiety of medical procedures and hospitalization, promote normal development, and provide age-appropriate activities and interventions to improve the overall well-being of the child.

The Child Life Specialist is capable of creating a behavioral management plan to help children cope with their emotions and behaviors. They can also clinically educate and prepare patients and their families for medical procedures or treatments. Additionally, they are able to provide therapeutic interventions to support children's emotional and psychological well-being. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the above".

The CLS uses play to present information and work through the patient's feelings. Play is a powerful tool that can engage and educate patients in a non-threatening and enjoyable way. By incorporating play into therapy sessions, the CLS can effectively communicate information to the patient while also providing a safe space for the patient to explore and express their emotions. This approach allows for a holistic approach to therapy that addresses both the cognitive and emotional needs of the patient.

The correct answer is straddling parent's lap, with the patient's arm tucked under the parent's arm and extended straight out for vein access. This position allows the child to feel secure and supported by the parent while also providing easy access to the veins in the arm. The extended straight arm makes it easier for the healthcare provider to locate and access the vein for the I.V. start. This position also allows for better visualization and control during the procedure.

The Child Life Specialist's main priority is to provide emotional support and help children cope with their hospitalization. Therefore, the patient's brother/sister being stressed or having a difficult time coping would be a higher priority, as it directly affects the well-being of another child. The patient being a psych patient, an infant, or non-compliant with medications and care would also be higher priorities, as these situations require specialized attention and intervention. However, the patient being bored with video games and wanting to pick out new ones is a relatively lower priority, as it does not directly impact their emotional well-being or immediate medical needs.

During the time of 'magical thinking', children have a limited understanding of cause and effect, and they often believe in supernatural or irrational explanations. This explains why they may believe that moving after surgery will cause their stitches to break open, that their loved one who died will come back eventually, and that their pain is a punishment for a 'bad' thought they had about someone else. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the above".

A Child Life Specialist is a professional who specializes in the emotional and developmental needs of children. They are trained to support children and their families in healthcare settings, helping them cope with illness, medical procedures, and hospitalization. They provide age-appropriate activities, play therapy, and emotional support to promote normal development and minimize stress and anxiety. They work closely with healthcare teams to ensure the overall well-being of the child.

Having child life services available is considered integral to family-centered care and is also one of JCAHO's best-practice models of pediatric health care. Child life services play a crucial role in supporting children and families during hospitalization, helping to reduce stress and anxiety, providing therapeutic play, and promoting normal development. By incorporating child life services into pediatric health care, hospitals can ensure that the emotional and psychosocial needs of children and families are met, creating a more holistic and patient-centered approach to care. This aligns with the principles of family-centered care and is recognized as a best practice by JCAHO.

Child life services, such as preparation and therapeutic play, help contain costs. Research and practice have shown that these services can reduce the length of hospital stays, decrease the need for certain medical interventions, and improve patient and family satisfaction. By providing emotional support, education, and coping strategies, child life specialists can contribute to better outcomes for children and families, ultimately leading to cost savings in the healthcare system.