For a child, the excessive anxiety and stress related to illness, separation from family during hospitalization, and medical encounters can be emotionally damaging and interfere with the child's response to medical treatment and care. Major interruptions in a child's life can invite dependency and erode self-esteem and may jeopardize the child's growth and development.

Through the use of play and other forms of communication, a Child Life Specialist helps reduce the stress and enable children and families to cope with these experiences.

Consult a Child Life Specialist if your child:

• Needs assistance with coping skills during a procedure or test.

• Has difficulty coping with hospitalization.

• Has been diagnosed with a life threatening or chronic illness and may face repeated hospitalizations or extended stays.

• Needs a developmental assessment.

• Would benefit from therapeutic play activities in the playroom or at bedside.

If you would like to have ChildLife present for your child, ask one of the staff members and we will contact them for you. You can also visit the UIHC Child Life web site.