What are Child Life Specialists and what do they do?

Answer

Child life specialists help reduce the stress and anxiety that many children experience in hospital and healthcare settings. While the use of child life specialists has been mostly limited to hospitals, it is now more common to see them in pediatric physician and dental offices, outpatient clinics, counseling clinics, and any other environment that includes a pediatric population. Although children commonly experience psychosocial upset during and after these experiences, these responses can be modified through intervention in the form of child life services. Child life programs can reduce the stress experienced by children and families and enhance their abilities to cope effectively with and gain from potentially stressful situations. Knowledge and application of foundations in theories of child development, play, stress and coping, and family systems are the basis for child life professional practice.
Child life programs in health care settings promote optimum development of children and their families, to maintain normal living patterns and to minimize psychological trauma. Typically, child life professionals (1) supervise therapeutic and diversional play; (2) prepare children for and assist children during medical tests and procedures through education, rehearsal, and coping skill development; and (3) support families during hospitalization or challenging events. Child life professionals support a philosophy of "family centered care" in health care facilities.



Child life specialist care the children in pre schools, children's home, and child care centre. They are not only responsible for children's safety but also for their emotional, social and physical health. Child life specialists also maintain the safe and nurturing environment for children and engage them in developmental activities. Other duties of child life specialists are teaching and fostering social and learning skills of children, maintaining healthy diet and communicating with parents.