Celebrating Child Life Month

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 28, 2024 / Aflac Incorporated
Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

The hospital setting is specifically designed for healing, both physically and mentally. But for young patients, the experience can still be unsettling.

That's where child life specialists come in.

As child development experts - often with a background in psychology, counseling and/or teaching - they collaborate with medical staff to provide individual care plans for pediatric patients, and they work closely with children and families to help create an emotionally safe environment during hospitalization.

Using a variety of tools and resources - like medical play with My Special Aflac Duck, for example - they help patients and families gain a sense of control by explaining medical jargon, preparing them for procedures and developing strategies for coping through what can be stressful or traumatic experiences.

In fact, because of their expertise in helping children and families navigate hospitalization and various treatments and procedures, child life specialists were instrumental in the development of My Special Aflac Duck.

As Child Life Month comes to a close, take a few moments to learn about this world through the eyes of these incredible professionals.

Dana LaLonde, Certified Child Life Specialist
Children's Hospital University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

Every day is different. I get to teach, play, support, advocate and help children gain control in the health care world in creative ways! Among the stress, pain, bad news and chaos, there is always an opportunity to create joy. Empowering kids to be brave, play and have fun is so important. Being the one to remind parents that their child is still their child, and that positive experiences are possible at the hospital, is a beautiful gift.

On the outside it may seem like we are the play ladies since you often see us with toys, bubbles and in the playroom. But we do so much more. Play drives everything we do, but we are playing with a purpose. We play to teach about a new diagnosis, to help give choices surrounding medical procedures, to distract and reduce pain, to build trust, to express emotion, and so much more. Play is how children learn, so of course we use that in all our interactions!