Recently I was interviewed for an article at work and when they said a photo was needed I knew just who to ask to play the role of a patient. Laura!! She did a great job and got to visit me at work for a while. We had tons of fun! Thanks for your help Laura!
Taken from:
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital Health Highlights for Parents
Giving Children a Helping Hand in the Hospital
When you go to the hospital, you expect to receive excellent medical care. But if you’re a child, you may need a little more than that. Hospitals can be frightening places for children. That’s where Child Life specialists come in. “Any healthcare experience can be stressful,” says Sarah Rowe, certified Child Life specialist at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. “We focus on children’s emotional health and provide an outlet for them to talk about their feelings and fears.”
Services Specifically for Kids
The work of a Child Life specialist can cover a lot of ground, depending on the child’s age. Specialists may take kids to the playroom, do arts and crafts, watch movies or just hold hands.
For younger children, medical play can also help reduce anxiety and provide an outlet to express fears. These kinds of activities may not make an injury heal faster, but they make the hospital experience much better for children.
“We had a 9-year-old girl come in who had cut her head on the playground,” recalls Rowe. “She was in tears and very anxious about having stitches. We talked about why we do stitches and how they would help her cut heal. And then we stitched up her teddy bear together. I showed her how to do it, and then she did it herself. By the time she left, she said, ‘This hospital is fun!’”
Sarah Rowe, CCLS uses medical play techniques with a patient.Support Where You Need It
Many hospitals now recognize the importance of support services for children. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center offers patients a team of Child Life specialists. Additionally, Memorial Hermann is the first health system in southeast Texas to provide Child Life specialists closer to home at three community hospitals: Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. Additional Memorial Hermann locations plan to add Child Life specialists to their teams in the near future.“Emotional health sometimes gets overlooked in healthcare, but Memorial Hermann is so conscious of it,” says Rowe.“Families have told us there is nothing else in this area like the services we’re providing, and they really appreciate it.” ■
Many hospitals now recognize the importance of support services for children. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center offers patients a team of Child Life specialists. Additionally, Memorial Hermann is the first health system in southeast Texas to provide Child Life specialists closer to home at three community hospitals: Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. Additional Memorial Hermann locations plan to add Child Life specialists to their teams in the near future.“Emotional health sometimes gets overlooked in healthcare, but Memorial Hermann is so conscious of it,” says Rowe.“Families have told us there is nothing else in this area like the services we’re providing, and they really appreciate it.” ■
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