Child Life Specialists
Being sick or injured as a child can be overwhelming. Our Certified Child Life Specialists are here to provide emotional and practical support.
Child Life Specialists
It’s normal for children to feel uneasy about doctors, medical tests and procedures or an overnight stay in the hospital. That’s why our certified child life specialists are ready with the emotional and practical support our youngest patients need to feel safe — and more comfortable with what will happen next.
Our Techniques
Certified child life specialists are educated and clinically trained in the developmental impact of illness and injury. We help patients and families have a better healthcare experience, improving their satisfaction and overall well-being using a wide range of techniques.
We Help Children Prepare
When children are prepared for medical procedures, they tend to feel less anxious and cope better, both during the procedure and in the future. Our team can explain procedures to your child based on their age and understanding. And when appropriate, we use real medical supplies and teaching dolls.
We Make Children Feel Comfortable Through Play
Play promotes children’s growth and development, helping them cope with stress, feel more in control, feel more comfortable in healthcare settings and meet developmental milestones. For pediatric patients and their siblings, UMC Children’s has a playroom and a teen room for patients 10 years or older. In addition, we have small play area in Outpatient Surgery and the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic.
We Support Children During Procedures
Every child is unique and copes with stress differently. Giving children effective coping methods to choose from gives them a greater sense of control. To prepare your child for a procedure, our child life specialists walk them through each step. We also help them manage their pain, suggest coping methods such as deep breathing or blowing bubbles, and distract them during procedures.
We Facilitate Visits with Sable, Our Facility Dog
We’re proud to have the first therapy dog at a children’s hospital in West Texas. A Golden Retriever who’s expertly trained to help children relax and feel comfortable, Sable wears a bandana to work every day, enjoys swimming and loves to play with the trains in our playroom.
We Celebrate with the Families We Serve
We help families create keepsakes of their care journey and celebrate important treatment milestones.
Contact Us
Our certified child life specialists serve UMC’s Burn Unit, Endoscopy, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Outpatient Surgery & Day Surgery, Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Center, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Sedation Program and Radiology.
For more information about the Child Life Department at UMC Children’s Hospital, please contact us by phone or email:
806.775.8836
childlife@umchealthsystem.com