Child life staff promote healthy methods of emotional expression, encouraging patients to channel their feelings through play, dialogue, arts, crafts, music and other forms of expression. Child life and music therapy professionals at Children’s Minnesota partner with the whole family, including siblings, to foster a positive and supportive care experience.
Here are some people you may meet from the child life and music therapy department while at Children’s Minnesota:
Certified by the Association of Child Life Professionals, child life specialists have professional training in child development, human development, psychology, family development or child life at the bachelor or master’s level. Child life specialists work closely with children to help understand their medical care and minimize stress through medical play, preparation and education, relaxation, mental imagery, and special events and activities.
Child life associates’ primary responsibilities are to provide patients with play and age appropriate activities that promote growth and development. They have a background in child development or psychology.
Music therapists use the clinical applications of music to facilitate movement and physical rehabilitation, engage patients and families in their treatment, and provide an outlet for creative and emotional expression. Certified through the Certification Board for Music Therapists, music therapists have a bachelor or master’s degree.
At Children’s Minnesota, we believe that the creative arts can assist in the healing process and enhance the overall health care experience for patients and families. The healing arts coordinator connects patients and families to the healing arts program with activities that provide positive distractions and encouragement through art. The coordinator has an extensive background in arts programming for children and a bachelor’s degree.
Children’s Minnesota has a four-legged medical dog-tor, Riggs, who works alongside Child Life staff to serve patients on the medical/surgical unit, at the Center for Treatment of Eating Disorders, and in the Child Life Zone at our St. Paul hospital. Riggs is specially trained to help patients cope with medical conditions and work toward their treatment goals. Learn more about Riggs and our medical dog program.
Child life services are available at several campuses. Child life services may also be offered at WestHealth and Two Twelve Medical Center as a partnership with their emergency services.