Happy Child Life Month!
Each March we celebrate Child Life Month, a dedicated period to recognize the invaluable time, dedication, and commitment that child life specialists give to their patients every day at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
The Children’s Hospital is home to the largest Child Life department in South Central Texas and we are proud of the work our specialists do. Our Child Life specialists (and Marcus) work to create an environment that may ease a child’s fears and provide important emotional and social care to make the hospital experience as pleasant as possible for both the child and the family. Child Life specialists are academically prepared in child psychology, child and family development, education, and creative art therapies. They provide evidence-based, developmentally and psychologically appropriate interventions to reduce stress and anxiety through preparation and support for procedures, education on coping strategies and non-pharmacological pain management techniques, therapeutic play, and more!
“The time my child got to spend with Child Life while undergoing care at The Children’s Hospital was so special to him and our family,” said Dr. Courtney Smith. “Each Child Life specialist Nolan interacted with helped him heal, laugh, and focus on being a kid despite being in the hospital.”
During their stay, patients and families are able to step away from their rooms, or their sibling’s rooms, and engage in holiday parties, special events, and celebrations. Child Life also provides special activities that offer normalcy during a stressful time with crafts, art projects, and more. They work with patients on each unit, both in the playroom and at the bedside, with developmental activities for all ages. In 2020, closed-circuit television programs were set up in lieu of group activities, where patients were able to tune-in via their individual rooms for fun activities. While still maintaining safe social distancing practices, patients are given the chance to have some much-needed fun in our Child Life Zone. The Child Life Zone at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio features 4,000 square feet of state-of-the-art recreational therapy space, allowing kids to escape from the hospital routine, socialize with peers, meet clinical goals for movement in a fun way, have opportunities for self expression, and more. It’s truly a remarkable space for our patients and families and completely donor funded.
We would like to say THANK YOU to our team of child life specialists. The work they do each and every day is a true testament to their kind and compassionate hearts.
The Child Life department relies heavily on donors like you to be able to continue the work they do for our patients and families. We encourage you to support The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio Foundation with a gift in celebration of Child Life month.