Child Life Specialists

Your Child's Special Friend
As you know, an extended stay at the hospital can be a very stressful thing, not only to the child, but to parents and family members as well. The Child Life staff works with each family individually to ensure that the child’s developmental, emotional and psychosocial needs are met during their stay. Through a combination of activities and learning experiences, they can help your child adjust quickly so they can continue to grow and develop just like their peers.

Therapy Through Play
Child Life is all about play with purpose. Whether it’s pet therapy sessions where children can play and visit with dogs in their rooms or special dinner and movie nights with the family, Child Life is here to see to the unique needs of you and your child. In addition to managing two playrooms and a teen room, Child Life offers music therapy that provides healing through this soothing art form.

Beads of Courage
To help children face the prospect of multiple treatments and procedures, Child Life oversees the Beads of Courage program. An innovative support program, Beads of Courage offers to help oncology pediatric patients and their families a collection of colorful beads, each one marking a step along their treatment path. The beads help the child tell others their story of courage through the representative beadwork that becomes their own necklace or bracelet as treatment ends and recovery begins.

Our Services

Every child is a unique individual with individual needs. Child Life team members work closely with you and your family to provide the most beneficial services. Support is offered in three main areas: emotional, educational, and developmental. These may include:

Medical Play
A hands-on play experience to help your child become familiar with the medical equipment that will be used during your child's hospital experience. Real/medical equipment may be used to do art activities, "treat" dolls, play games such as medical bingo and much more.

Procedural Education
Medical procedures can often be a very stressful time for both the patient and family. Preparing children can reduce your child's anxiety and increase coping during the hospitalization. Child Life Specialists use dolls, photo books, and real medical equipment to provide age and developmentally appropriate education.

Playrooms and Teen Lounge
Play is a vital in a child's healing process. The Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children offers two playrooms and one teen lounge to provide patients an opportunity for a sense of control and mastery in a non-threatening, safe environment.

Bedside Activities
Our Child Life Specialists have a broad range of activities to offer patients at their bedside. These include games, arts and crafts, movies, etc. These activities also provide opportunities for self expression and creativity as well as providing an overall positive experience in the hospital.

Sibling Support
Family-centered care is a standard of care at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children. Child Life Specialists are trained to provide education and support to a child's sibling as well as the patient.

Pet Therapy
Our Pet Therapy program offers patients an opportunity to visit with certified therapy dogs trained to work with hospitalized children. These special dogs offer a sense of normalization that all children benefit from in the hospital process.

Special Events
Children are always encouraged and uplifted by having special visitors during their stay at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children. These special events allow us to provide an overall positive experience for the family.

About Our Team

The Child Life Team provides services seven days a week for families and their children undergoing treatment in all pediatric units, including, General Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Seizure Monitoring, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Progressive Care, Outpatient Surgery, Radiology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Children's Emergency Department.

Our team is comprised of Child Life Specialists and Recreational Therapists who hold a minimum of a Bachelors degree in child development or related field, and have completed a child life internship. Team members have also passed a national certification examination attesting to their expertise in all aspects of Child Life services.

For More Information

 

If you would like to find out more about services available through our Child Life program, please call 407-303-5600 and ask for extension 110-6392.

Interested in Joining Us? The Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children is always interested in people who are committed to the health and well being of children. If you want a rewarding career with lots of challenges, great benefits and advancement potential, we’d like to hear from you. Internships are also available.