Child Life Specialist Outline

Attention-getter

Imagine being 5 years old and in an emergency room or doctor’s office, with no idea of what’s going on. The doctor’s keep running test, your parents are crying, and all you can do is lie in the bed. No one is taking the time to stop and explain to you what is going on. That is when a Child Life Specialist steps in.

Motive for Listening

I am sure that many of you have children. If your child has not been hospitalized, he or she has had doctor visits. During these visits they may have been scared or anxious of the unknown.

Credibility Statement

I have gained the experience of Child Life by volunteering and partaking in an internship. I also have a BS in Child Life

Purpose or Thesis Statement

If you love children and have a

The Role of a Child Life Specialist (CLS)

Child life Specialist (CLS) are in hospitals and doctor’s offices to help promote normal development in children

Emma Plank is the mother of Child Life.

She introduced Child Life in her 1962 publication, Working With Children in the Hospital (Thompson, pg 10) B. There are several goals of a child life program 1. “To provide a setting for children of all ages where they can find play and and activities...” (Thompson, pg 10) 2. “To give children a chance to interact with others to form relationships with adults and other children ...to work through their fears…” (Thompson, pg 10) 3. “To help school age children continue with some of their school work while hospitalized...” (Thompson, pg 10) 4. “To arrange specific opportunities of play...where traumatic experiences

“To provide an area where parents can visit and play with their child.” (Thompson, pg 10) 6. “To help children at mealtimes accept hospital food and diets…” (Thompson, pg 10) C. Child Life Specialist help promote normal development through various activities such as medical play and therapeutic activities.

Medical play gives the child the opportunity to understand what he will experience while in the hospital , clinic, or office.

Tools that may be used during medical play include dolls and actual medical equipment such as syringes, IV tubing, surgical mask, etc.

D. “Play is the primary modality of a child life program, making the health care experience less intimidating and more comfortable. Child life programs provide opportunities for play in inpatient areas, intensive care units, outpatient clinics, emergency departments, presurgical waiting areas, laboratory waiting rooms, and sibling care centers. “ According to the American Academy of