Helping Children Cope Emotionally with Illness
A few years ago, I heard about this wonderful career opportunity called "Child Life". People in this profession are referred to as "Child Life Specialists". They work in hospitals and other medical facilities where children are being treated. It is their job to help the child deal with the social and emotional trauma of being sick and different from other children his or her age. This lens exists because when I was considering this career choice, there were very few free resources for me to utilize. And although I ultimately decided that this career is not the one for me, I believe that this career is a necessary and honorable one that deserves proper recognition. I hope that you will find tools and resources and a look into the world of Child Life Specialists you might not have seen before.
Contents at a Glance
- Reasons to Consider a Career as a Child Life Specialist
- So, what does Child Life look like in the hospital setting?
- The Reasons Child Life Might Not Be the Career for You
Reasons to Consider a Career as a Child Life Specialist
Every Child Life Specialist I know absolutely loves their career and they have explained several times why it appeals to them so much. Here is an accumulated list of just a few reasons you might also want to consider a career in this field.
- Make a Difference: Every day you make a difference in the lives of the children and families you serve. Your work is very rewarding because you see children conquer their fears in ways they often cannot image when you first meet them.
- Be paid to play: Let's be honest, there are few jobs out there that will pay you to be silly and have fun. This job demands it! Child Life Specialists are constantly being called upon to not only play but encourage play and pretend games with the children they serve. It's a very creative and inspirational job.
- Work in a Medical Setting Without a Medical Degree: Ever want to work in a hospital but none of the medical professions seemed really right for you? Perhaps you wanted to help people and be instrumental in helping them recover, but just didn't feel like any of the technical, hands-on jobs were quite right for you? Child Life Specialists often act as a link between the medical staff and the child and family. This means that you will be interacting with nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, etc., to make sure the family understands their options and their desires are carried out as often as possible.
- Challenging Job that Changes with each Client: No two children are the same. Their situation, fears, and questions will all be different. Your job will demand that you be prepared for anything and cater to the demands of each of your individual clients on your caseload.
- Opportunity to Work with Diverse People: Child Life Specialists are most needed when parents and/or guardians must work and cannot always be there through some of the difficult surgeries and procedures their sick children are facing. Because of this, you will be working with a lot of different children from lots of backgrounds and ethnicities. You will have the chance to learn about all of the cultures and how they work through the difficult time of having a sick child.
- Flexibility: Unlike the doctors on call, you will usually be able to sleep easy, knowing that your work is done on your schedule. You will often be able to work this around your schedule, so if you have children in school, you might still be able to make it home in time for milk and cookies when they come walking up the driveway from the bus. Oh, and speaking of flexibility, therapy can be a creative process. Just because it's never been done doesn't mean it's not a great idea- so you will have the opportunity to address your client's needs the best way you see fit- no cookie-cutter therapy sessions!
So, what does Child Life look like in the hospital setting?
Read this book to find out!
I admit, the cover looks like it's about a million years outdated, but it's still a great reference for anyone looking to get into Child Life.
Child Life in Hospitals: Theory and Practice
Amazon Price: $40.90 (as of 12/18/2009)
List Price: $41.95
Used Price: $26.26
The Reasons Child Life Might Not Be the Career for You
While it may sound like a warm and fuzzy job helping children cope emotionally with the hardship of being sick, it can be much more difficult than just holding a child's hand as they have a band-aid placed on a cut. Your clientèle will often include terminally ill children who have some very serious questions about life/death, right/wrong, good/evil, etc. They will struggle with why they are suffering and why they can't grow up normally. They will experience a wide array of emotional responses and your job will be to remain strong for them, gently guiding them through the uneasy terrain of the unexpected. These demands of the job are not things just anyone can do. If this warning doesn't scare you away, I definitely suggest you pursue this career field further by finding a Child Life Specialist to shadow.
Real Case Studies of Hospitalized Children as Recorded by a Child Life Specialist
If you aren't sure if this career field is right for you, I highly recommend this book! It is a great resource of real cases and stories of child life and it's impact on the child.
Protecting the Emotional Development of the Ill Child: The Essence of the Child Life Profession
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
Child Life in Action
It might look really cheesy and outdated, but a lot of the methods used in this video are very good examples of today's approach to Child Life!
Bernard, the Hospital Puppet - Puppet Therapy
Diana Chiles explains the power behind Puppet Therapy. Diana is a Pediatric Therapist and Child Life Specialist at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee. You can learn more about Diana and her very special Ministry with Bernard at her Web Site: http://www.hospitalpuppet.com
Runtime: 131
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3 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
Kids Need Child Life Specialists Sometimes Even When They Aren't the Sick Ones...
How to Help Children Through a Parent's Serious Illness
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/18/2009)
When Parents Get Sick, Child Life Specialists Step In
And Everyone Wins!
This featured YouTube video showcases a specific organization called Wonders and Worries. This is a non-profit organization run by a bunch of Child Life Specialists that offers FREE services to children who are dealing with the sickness or death of a parent or loved one.
Resources You Don't Want to Miss
- Child Life Council
- Official website for child life across the US.
- Child Life Specialist Academic Programs
- Here is a full listing of all the programs available for a BS or MS degree in Child Life. While it is currently not required, keep in mind that as the profession advances, it might become increasingly necessary to have a masters degree.
- Child Life on Wikipedia
- You know you were about to check to see what Wikipedia had to say anyways, so I thought I'd provide you with a special link right here so you won't even have to take the time to type it in your favorite search engine.
- Experiences of Real Child Life Specialists
- This article offers a great overview of the situations and experiences a child life specialist undergoes in handling their case studies.
- Child Life Specialists Featured in St. Louis Business Journal
- This article recognizes the amazing people who are Child Life Specialists for the special role they play in the lives of suffering children and families.
What do you think?
Could you be a child life specialist?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byAbsolutely! Sign me up!
Aimee says:
I am a Child Life Specialist and I love my job! Thanks for adding this great resource for people who don't know about Child Life.
Posted December 15, 2008
Michelle Valdez says:
without a doubt, supporting children trough a difficult situation weather it be a broken bone or death is important.
Posted October 05, 2008
Umm, I don't think so.
Ahlam t. says:
i am in highskool and i lov kidz and helpping ppl and understanding them and my gole is to be a child life specialist
Posted October 06, 2009
Courtney Lacy says:
I will graduate in 2010 from highschool and plan on following the career path of becoming a child-life specialist. It is a job I know I will love and will be able to share love to children in need.
Posted August 07, 2009
annafreewood says:
i am a child life specialist well i am in my last year of uniersiy and i love it. even though i have not helped that may children i can only see how many i will be able to help as soon as i am finished schooling.
Posted April 12, 2009
Requirements of a Child Life Specialist
Now that you have learned a little about Child Life, I'm sure you are wondering how much schooling it takes to get such a rewarding job. So, here's the answer:
In order to become a Child Life Specialist, you will need a Bachelor's Degree, an Internship experience, and you must pass the certification exam. While a masters degree is not currently a requirement, it is strongly encouraged, especially for students who did not receive their Bachelor's degree in Child Life or a closely related field.
In order to become a Child Life Specialist, you will need a Bachelor's Degree, an Internship experience, and you must pass the certification exam. While a masters degree is not currently a requirement, it is strongly encouraged, especially for students who did not receive their Bachelor's degree in Child Life or a closely related field.
Pass the Child Life Certification Exam
Here's the book you'll need
Child Life Exam Secrets Study Guide: Child Life Test Review for the Child Life Professional Certification Examination
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
You May Also Want to Quiz Yourself
So here are some helpful flashcards
Child Life Gear
When you find a career that fits, you'll want to show off your excitement! If Child Life is the field for you, here are just a few fun things to display your pride in Child Life.
Many of these designs are also available on a mousepad, keychain, coffee mug, stickers, canvas bag, custom postage stamps, notecard or even a T-Shirt!
Child Life Specialists Keychain
Child Life postage with Teddy Bear
Child Life "Blocks" Apparel
You can get this Child Life Gear and more from teejaytee's Gallery at Zazzle.
Many of these designs are also available on a mousepad, keychain, coffee mug, stickers, canvas bag, custom postage stamps, notecard or even a T-Shirt!
Child Life Specialists Keychain
Child Life postage with Teddy Bear
Child Life "Blocks" Apparel
You can get this Child Life Gear and more from teejaytee's Gallery at Zazzle.
Leave Some Love
Child Life Specialists are truly special people. Leave a special note of tribute for these truly amazing people, or just a thought about something you learned from this lens. If you have experience with Child Life, please share your story!
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by cherangelry
I am a lover of learning. With a degree in psychology, I am currently a grad student in the Occupational Therapy Program at East Carolina University (... (more)
