Child life services at Studer Family Children’s Hospital
Child life services
-
Diagnosis education
Our specialists have expertise working with children in a healthcare setting. Using developmentally appropriate language, we can help explain your child's diagnosis, tests and treatments in a way they understand. We also take the time to listen to your child’s concerns and encourage them to ask questions. Helping your child understand what to expect can help ease anxious feelings.
-
Preparation and support during procedures
Child life specialists help prepare your child for procedures using digital preparation books, pictures, actual medical equipment and other tools to help children understand what to expect before their test, procedure or surgery. We walk them step-by-step through what they will experience in a way they can understand.
During certain procedures, child life specialists may be there to support your child using coping and relaxation skills, alternative focus items and positive distraction techniques.
-
Therapeutic play
Therapeutic play can be used to help improve the emotional well-being of children in the hospital by using art, music, and toys as expressive activities. This type of play encourages children to express and process their thoughts and feelings about medical experiences in a fun and safe way.
What is a Child Life Specialist?
Additional information and resources
-
Starfish Adaptive Care Program
The Starfish Adaptive Care Program was established to identify pediatric patients with sensory, developmental, and behavioral needs and implement strategies to enhance their healthcare experience at Studer Family Children’s Hospital. We provide:
Patient Identifier
A starfish symbol will be placed outside patient rooms to signal the presence of a child with sensory, developmental, and behavioral needs.
Patient Profile
- Caregivers will be provided with a questionnaire to identify their child’s needs, challenges, and interventions that best support them.
- Child Life Department staff will scan questionnaires into the patient’s chart.
Sensory Cart
- Child Life Department staff will maintain carts.
- Carts will contain sensory items available in each unit for all staff to provide to their patients based on the needs and challenges identified in their questionnaire.
- Some items may be given to patients to keep, and some items must be cleaned and returned to the cart.
Child Life Sensory Items
Reusable Items
(Clean and return to cart after use)Single Use Items
(Patient can take home)- Audio headphones
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Projector light
- Sound machine
- Sunglasses
- Visual timers
- Weighted lap pad
- Chewies
- Fidget spinners
- Misc. fidgets
- Noisemakers
- Pop-its
- Pop tubes
- Stress balls
Support
- Our Certified Child Life Specialists are specifically trained to support pediatric patients with sensory, developmental, and behavioral needs. Through individualized interventions and care plans, they strive to promote positive coping with medical tests and procedures.
- Please consult Child Life Specialists to assist with caring for Starfish Program patients.
-
Sensory room
Studer Family Children’s Hospital offers a sensory room through the Starfish Adaptive Care Program for children who may feel overwhelmed during hospital care. The quieter environment includes adjustable light panels, bubble columns, calming sounds and other sensory features designed to help children relax, regulate and regain a sense of comfort and control. Created with sensory, developmental and behavioral needs in mind, the room may benefit any child who needs a calmer space during their hospital experience.
Families who believe their child may benefit from the sensory room can speak with their child’s care team or ask to connect with a certified child life specialist.
Read more about the sensory room at Studer Family Children’s Hospital.
-
Sensory engagement area
Our Sensory Engagement Area is a calm, welcoming space designed to promote relaxation, emotional regulation and positive sensory experiences. In a controlled environment, children can explore and respond to different types of sensory input, including sight, sound, touch and movement.
-
Sacred Paws Facility Dog Program
Every dog has a special way of making a difference. At Studer Family Children’s Hospital, our trained facility dogs take that gift one step further. As members of the healthcare team, these extraordinary dogs offer more than companionship. They provide comfort, encouragement and connection when children need it most.
Sacred Paws is a goal-directed facility dog program that helps pediatric patients cope with hospitalization, support healing and work toward their treatment goals. Each facility dog and handler completes specialized training through Canine Assistants.
Our facility dogs can help patients:
- Ease anxiety and stress associated with the hospital environment while creating a sense of comfort and familiarity.
- Support social, physical and emotional well-being as part of a patient’s overall care.
- Provide comfort and distraction during procedures, tests and other challenging moments.
- Encourage progress toward treatment goals, such as taking medication, participating in therapy or learning to walk again.
- Reduce feelings of loneliness that may come with being away from home, family, friends and beloved pets.
- Offer unconditional acceptance and connection through gentle interaction and the calming presence of a furry friend.
- Provide reassurance following traumatic or stressful experiences, helping children feel safe and supported.
At Sacred Paws, we believe healing can happen in many ways. Sometimes, four paws can make all the difference.
Meet our facility dogs
- Birdie: Pediatric surgery department
- Curry: Adult cancer center
- Joy: Adult emergency department
- Klio: Pediatric rehabilitation clinic and pediatric infusion clinic
- Luisa: Adult intensive care unit and adult oncology unit
- Sherlock: Pediatric intensive care unit and pediatric hematology / oncology unit
- Swirl: Pediatric acute care and adult perinatal specialty unit
- Tully: Pediatric radiology department