Child life services at Studer Family Children’s Hospital
Child life services
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Animal-assisted therapy
Our facility dog program, Sacred Paws, uses therapy dogs to offer a positive distraction from the hospital environment. All of our dogs and their handlers have specialized training through Canine Assistants.
Additional information and resources
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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.
