What do the Children’s Minnesota child life professionals do?
Child life professionals at Children’s Minnesota work closely with children to help understand their medical care and minimize stress through medical play, relaxation, mental imagery, and special events and activities. They partner with the whole family, including siblings, to foster a positive and supportive care experience.
1.
To prepare patients for surgery or a procedure using developmentally appropriate language and medical play supplies. For example: IV, PICC line, sutures, NG tube, etc.
2.
To introduce coping techniques and provide procedural support for patients, such as distraction or relaxation.
3.
To educate patients and families with a new diagnosis while using age-appropriate language and taking into consideration their unique learning needs.
4.
To provide patients opportunities for emotional and cognitive processing about their health care experiences.
5.
To support parents in understanding the unique needs of children under stress and during hospitalization.
6.
To promote siblings’ understanding of and adjustment to a patient’s illness.
7.
To work with patients who need help with compliance, such as medicine-taking or routine setting.
8.
To assess a patient’s normative needs to promote play, coping, and normal growth and development.
9.
To facilitate therapeutic activities to encourage self-expression in children and teens (individually and in group settings).
10.
To support patients during times of trauma or grief and loss (present or anticipated).
