How can child life specialists help address dental fear and anxiety in children?: A review

The changing demographics of illness necessitate the provision of complex care practices designed to meet the individual needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Providing psychosocial care to paediatric patients, child life specialists integrate processes designed to better understand their patients, thus informing their plans of care. Through the use of Grounded Theory, this study involves 7 child life specialists from a large city in Ontario and explores the processes implemented by child life specialists in getting to know their patients and families. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews and a reflective journaling exercise was examined for evidence of cultural influence and a greater understanding of child life specialists' perceived comfort and ability was explored. The results of this study suggest child life specialists engage in culturally responsive practices, however several barriers and challenges exist. Resource needs are identified and implications for practice are examined.

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Implementation of a Humanoid Robot as an Innovative Approach to Child Life Interventions in a Children’s Hospital: Lofty Goal or Tangible Reality?

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.639394 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Tanya N. Beran ◽

Jacqueline Reynolds Pearson ◽

Bonnie Lashewicz

Keyword(s):

Humanoid Robot ◽

Child Life ◽

Hospital Environment ◽

Innovative Approach ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Adoption Process ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Child Life Specialists ◽

Roles And Responsibilities ◽

Lofty Goal

IntroductionThis study reports the findings on how Child life specialists (CLSs) implemented an innovative approach to providing therapeutic support to pediatric patients.MethodsPart of a larger study that uncovered themes about CLSs’ experiences while working with MEDi®, this study reports the reflections that CLSs have about the process of implementation. Seven CLSs participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was conducted on interview data and three themes were generated.ResultsThe first was in regards to the adoption process whereby CLS challenges, successes, and surprises were revealed. Second, CLSs explained how using MEDi® aligned with the roles and responsibilities of their profession. The third area of understanding was in CLS explanation of the friendly emotional impact MEDi® seems to have on the hospital environment.ConclusionChild life specialists are encouraged to use the MEDi® robot to support children at the bedside.

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Pain in Children: Assessment and Nonpharmacological Management

International Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1155/2010/474838 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2010 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

Rasha Srouji ◽

Savithiri Ratnapalan ◽

Suzan Schneeweiss

Keyword(s):

Pain Management ◽

Pain Assessment ◽

Emergency Departments ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Child Life ◽

Developmental Level ◽

Child Life Specialists ◽

Healthcare Settings ◽

Pain Assessment Scales ◽

Assessment Scales

Pain perception in children is complex, and is often difficult to assess. In addition, pain management in children is not always optimized in various healthcare settings, including emergency departments. A review of pain assessment scales that can be used in children across all ages, and a discussion of the importance of pain in control and distraction techniques during painful procedures are presented. Age specific nonpharmacological interventions used to manage pain in children are most effective when adapted to the developmental level of the child. Distraction techniques are often provided by nurses, parents or child life specialists and help in pain alleviation during procedures.

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„Child Life Specialist“-Interventionen in der klinischen pädiatrischen Versorgung: Ein systematischer Review zu Effekten auf psychische Gesundheitsparameter von Kindern und Jugendlichen

Das Gesundheitswesen ◽

10.1055/a-1676-3852 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Julia Hummel ◽

Michaela Coenen ◽

Varinka Voigt-Blaurock ◽

Christoph Klein ◽

Caroline Jung-Sievers

Keyword(s):

Child Life ◽

Child Life Specialist ◽

Systematischer Review ◽

Randomisierte Kontrollierte Studien ◽

Child Life Specialists ◽

Systematische Literatursuche ◽

Kontrollierte Studien

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Krankenhausaufenthalte können bei Kindern zu psychischen Belastungen führen, die in der Regelversorgung häufig nicht ausreichend adressiert werden. Ein neuer Ansatz ist es, spezialisierte psychosoziale Fachkräfte, sog. Child Life Specialists (CLS), in die klinische Versorgung einzubinden. CLS begleiten Kinder durch den Klinikalltag und können Belastungen durch gezielte Interventionen auffangen und das Wohlbefinden der PatientInnen fördern. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Angst, Schmerz und Stress von Kindern im klinischen Kontext zu analysieren. Methodik Es wurde eine systematische Literatursuche in den Datenbanken Medline, Embase und PsycINFO durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse wurden in tabellarischer und graphischer Form dargestellt. Ergebnisse Es wurden vier randomisierte kontrollierte Studien (RCTs) eingeschlossen, die die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen bei 459 Kindern im Alter von 0–15 Jahren untersuchten. Eine signifikante Verbesserung der Zielkriterien wurde jeweils in mindestens einer Studie berichtet. Bei allen Studien ist von einem mittleren bis hohen Verzerrungsrisiko auszugehen. Schlussfolgerung In den eingeschlossenen RCTs werden positive Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Ergebnisvariablen psychischer Gesundheit von Kindern im klinischen Setting berichtet. Aufgrund der geringen Anzahl von Studien sowie deren Heterogenität und Qualität ist weitere Forschung notwendig.

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Why Is She So Distressed?

Pediatric Palliative Care ◽

10.1093/med/9780190051853.003.0037 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 275-284

Author(s):

Daniel Waechter Webb ◽

Megan J. Thorvilson

Keyword(s):

Therapeutic Relationship ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Child Life ◽

Spiritual Needs ◽

Life Meaning ◽

Spiritual Beliefs ◽

Positive Role ◽

Child Life Specialists ◽

Beliefs And Practices ◽

Difficult Times

Illness often raises many questions related to humanity and life meaning both for children and their families, and many lean on spirituality to sustain them in difficult times. When one’s ability to experience and integrate meaning in life becomes disrupted, patients may experience spiritual distress, which can present in physical, psychological, and social ways. The majority of pediatricians acknowledge a positive role for spirituality in healing, in strengthening the therapeutic relationship, and in providing support for patients/families, yet clinicians often feel ill-equipped to address spirituality with families. However, most parents would prefer to be open about their spiritual beliefs and practices with their medical team. In addition to the clinician, chaplains, child life specialists, social workers, and psychologists can support the evolving spiritual needs of children as they grow and develop.

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Dental Fear and Anxiety of Kindergarten Children in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17082827 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 2827

Author(s):

Madeline Jun Yu Yon ◽

Kitty Jieyi Chen ◽

Sherry Shiqian Gao ◽

Duangporn Duangthip ◽

Edward Chin Man Lo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Oral Examination ◽

Kindergarten Children ◽

Caries Experience ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fear Level ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Objectives: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the fear level of kindergarten children in the general population during dental outreach in a familiar kindergarten setting, and to explore the factors associated with the dental fear of kindergarten children. Method: Consecutive sampling method was used to select kindergarten children aged 3 to 5 to participate in a questionnaire survey and an outreach service. A behavioural observation type of instrument for dental fear and anxiety assessment—Frankl Behaviour Rating Scale (FBRS)—was chosen to investigate the fear level of the children. Bivariate analyses between various factors and children’s dental fear and anxiety were carried out using Chi-square test. Results: A total of 498 children participated in this study. Almost half (46%) of the children have had caries experience, and the mean dmft score was 2.1 ± 3.4. The prevalence of dental caries was 32%, 43%, and 64% in the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, respectively. Only 4% of the children scored negatively for dental fear and anxiety (95% CI 2.3%–5.7%). Children at three years of age displayed more dental fear and anxiety than children of older ages, but the difference in dental fear and anxiety among the genders and caries status was not statistically significant. Most of the children (92%) brushed daily, but only 20% of them used toothpaste. Most (85%) of them had never visited the dentist, and over 70% of them were mainly taken care by their parents. High levels of positive and cooperative behaviour and low levels of fear were found in this population. No statistical significance was found between the child’s dental fear and any factors except age. Conclusion: Children generally displayed low fear or anxiety levels in a dental outreach consisting of a non-invasive oral examination and preventive treatment in a familiar kindergarten setting. Conducting regular outreach dental services to kindergartens by providing oral examination and simple remineralisation therapies could be a promising strategy to not only control childhood caries, but also manage and reduce dental fear and encourage long term dental attendance in line with the medical model.

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Dental Fear and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients

10.1007/978-3-319-48729-8 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Pediatric Patients ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Fear And Anxiety

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