Promoting Resilience in Paediatric Health Care: The Role of the Child Life Specialist

2016 ◽  
pp. 153-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Humphreys ◽  
Chantal K. LeBlanc
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Paediatric Health

Child life interventions in paediatric pain

2013 ◽  
pp. 543-549
Author(s):  
Chantal K. LeBlanc ◽  
Christine T. Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Historical Perspective ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospitalized Children ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
And Coping

Child life specialists, as members of the health care team, are frequently involved in the assessment and management of pain in hospitalized children and children in emergency settings. Child life refers to a non-medical therapeutic service designed to address the developmental, educational, and psychosocial needs of paediatric patients. Child life specialists are professionals who ‘promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization’ (Child Life Council, 2012a), including painful procedures and coping with other types of pain (e.g. postoperative pain). This chapter provides an overview of the role of a child life specialist, including a historical perspective on the evolution of the field and current child life practices. The chapter then provides a summary of the specific contributions of child life specialists to pain assessment and management, including innovative uses of technology often facilitated by child life specialists.

Child Life Programs

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-673
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Family Involvement ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Inpatient Settings

Child life programs have become the standard in pediatric settings to address the psychosocial concerns that accompany hospitalization and medical care. Child life specialists facilitate coping and the adjustment of children and families by providing play experiences, presenting information about events and procedures, and establishing supportive relationships with children and parents to encourage family involvement in each child's medical care. These activities are shared by other members of the health care team. The role of the child life specialist, however, is unique because it combines each of these services as the primary duty. The child life specialist focuses on the strengths and health of children.1 Most major hospitals for children have child life programs, and the number of these has doubled since 1965. The patient-to-staff ratio should not exceed 15 patients to 1 child life specialist. Child life or similar services should be offered by all hospitals. Most child life specialists work in inpatient settings, but they are increasingly serving outpatient populations. Certification of child life specialists is available through the Child Life Certifying Commission, which was established in 1986. PLAY Play is the core of the child life program. Play activities are offered both in group settings and individual sessions. Play opportunities in health care settings communicate a respect for and understanding of children. Play helps eliminate the distinction between the comfortable and familiar setting outside the hospital and the foreign and intimidating hospital environment. Play contributes to the child's adjustment in several important ways. By providing age-appropriate activities, the possibility that hospitalization may disrupt normal development is minimized.

scholarly journals Child life specialists as facilitators of child participation : a thematic literature review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caron Mills
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Child Participation ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
Number Of Factors

The child's right to participate is a fundamental right outlined in the UN convention on the rights of the child. Canada signed and ratified this convention in 1991. Through secondary literature and the author's personal experience this paper explores the child's right to participate in the context of canadian pediatric medicine. In particular, this paper examines if and how a child is encouraged to participate in their health care, and which members of the health care team facilitate this participation. The paper also outlines a number of factors that limit or enhance child participation. Recommendations and next steps are included in the paper with the purpose of enhancing the quality and amount of participation that is offered to pediatric patients within hospital settings. One recommendation that is developed and discussed is the increased role of the child life profession as a tool for enabling child participation.

Parent Perceptions and Satisfaction with Inpatient Child Life Specialist Interventions and the Role of Child Temperament

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal K. LeBlanc ◽  
Krista Naugler ◽  
Kate Morrison ◽  
Jennifer A. Parker ◽  
Christine T. Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Parent Perceptions ◽  
Child Temperament ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialist

scholarly journals Child life specialists as facilitators of child participation : a thematic literature review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caron Mills
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Child Participation ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
Number Of Factors

The child's right to participate is a fundamental right outlined in the UN convention on the rights of the child. Canada signed and ratified this convention in 1991. Through secondary literature and the author's personal experience this paper explores the child's right to participate in the context of canadian pediatric medicine. In particular, this paper examines if and how a child is encouraged to participate in their health care, and which members of the health care team facilitate this participation. The paper also outlines a number of factors that limit or enhance child participation. Recommendations and next steps are included in the paper with the purpose of enhancing the quality and amount of participation that is offered to pediatric patients within hospital settings. One recommendation that is developed and discussed is the increased role of the child life profession as a tool for enabling child participation.

The Role of Caring in Contemporary Health Care

1991 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 871-872
Author(s):  
Linda Baumann
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Contemporary Health Care
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