Wellstar Children's of Georgia
Child Life Specialists
At Wellstar Children’s of Georgia, our Child Life Specialists are expertly trained in helping children and youth navigate the challenges of illness, injury or disability, hospitalization, treatment or new diagnosis.
About Us
- What is a Child Life Specialist?
- The Healing Power of Play
- Understanding Care
- Preparation
- Support for Patients and Family
- Grief and Bereavement Support
- Grief Resources
What is a Child Life Specialist?
A Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) is a healthcare professional who helps children, teens, and families understand and cope with injury, illness, hospitalization, or death and loss. Their goal is to help reduce anxiety, fear, pain, and misconceptions pertaining to medical experiences. Often through play, child life specialists enable children to explore, learn, and develop effective coping skills for facing challenging events.
What education does a Child Life Specialist need?
To become a CCLS, a four-year undergraduate degree is required. Some Child Life Specialists also choose to earn a master’s degree, which offers advanced training in working with pediatric patients.
Every member of our team is a CCLS by national examination.Association of Child Life Professionals.
The Healing Power of Play
Play helps children make sense of the world—and it’s especially important in a healthcare setting. Our Child Life Specialists use play to:- Support healthy development and positive coping strategies
- Prepare children for medical procedures in age-appropriate ways
- Help children process their experiences and emotions
- Give children choices and a sense of controlEncourage normal development and positive coping throughout healthcare experiences
Helping Children Understand Care
Our team of Child Life Specialists understands that children and teens cope best when they are prepared for healthcare encounters in ways they can understand. We use our knowledge of child development to provide education tailored to each child’s age and needs. Using play, technology and realistic medical equipment, Child Life Specialists help explain diagnoses, procedures and tests in developmentally appropriate ways.We’re also a resource for caregivers and parents who want to better understand how children develop, respond to challenges and cope with stress.
Preparation
Hospital visits and medical procedures can be stressful for children and their families. Children may feel nervous, have questions or misunderstand what’s happening based on unfamiliar medical terms. By preparing children honestly and in age-appropriate ways, Child Life Specialists help to:
- Reduce anxiety
- Build trust with care team members
- Identify stressors and teach coping skills
- Offer choices and a sense of control
We guide children through what to expect—what they may feel, see, hear, taste and smell—so they feel more confident and informed. Using developmentally appropriate language, pictures and medical tools, we help children make sense of their experience and express any fears or concerns.
Support for Patients and Family
Child Life Specialists help children and their families develop positive coping skills and establish plans and techniques for facing challenging events. Coping strategies are unique to each child and family.For Parents
- Honestly explaining to your child how something may feel without minimizing their emotions or the experience
- Informing team members of important facts about your child
- Remaining positive, calm and supportive toward your child
- Providing your presence/full attention and offering specific praise before, during and after a procedure
- Utilizing comfort positioning so that your child can always see and touch you
- Preparing yourself for your child’s upcoming procedure
For Children
- Distraction: Refocusing your child’s attention on an activity they find engaging
- Imagery: Asking your child to close their eyes and recall a positive place or memory
- Breathing: Encouraging your child to take slow, deep breaths
- Comfort: Bringing along your child’s favorite blanket or stuffed animal to hold before, during or after the procedure
Grief & Bereavement Support
Child Life Specialists are trained in how children understand and respond to the death of a loved one. They provide guidance on talking to children about a loved one who has died or is nearing the end of their life. Using play, art and developmentally appropriate language, Child Life Specialists help children and teens understand the death, express emotions and create keepsakes in memory of their loved one.Helping Children Deal with Grief
Camp Tranquility and Camp Dogwood are one-day events for children and adults who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Both are sponsored by Wellstar Hospice Care.Camp Tranquility
Camp Tranquility is a community workshop for families who have lost a loved one. Adults and children ages 6 and older participate in sessions designed to support healthy grief expression. Participants connect with others experiencing similar losses while learning:
- Age-specific strategies for processing grief
- Self-care and stress reduction
- Parenting through loss
- Talking to children about death and grief
- Activities for family healing over time
Camp Dogwood
Camp Dogwood is a free, one-day event for children ages 6 to 12 in West Georgia and surrounding areas who have experienced the loss of a loved one.Founded in 1997 as an outreach of West Georgia Hospice, the camp now serves up to 60 children each summer, supported by about 80 volunteers.
Through art, games and stories, campers:
- Understand that everyone grieves
- Learn healthy ways to cope
- Find meaningful ways to remember loved ones
- Build coping skills while enjoying fun, supportive activities
Additional Resources & Grief Support Materials
Services & Resources
- Opportunities for play, growth and development in the healthcare setting
- Healthcare education for children and families
- Procedural and surgical preparation and support
- Strategies for coping with stressful situations
- Advocacy that promotes emotional safety for children, teens and families
- Support of siblings during their brother's or sister’s hospitalization
- Illness education and coping support for children and teens whose loved one is hospitalized
- Grief and bereavement support
- Guidance for parents and caregivers on child development and ways to manage stress and trauma
News
Related Articles
Highlights
5 Expert-Backed Tips to Help Your Child Cope with Stress
Children and teens face challenges that can bring excitement, stress and sometimes anxiety. A new school year, changing friendships and academic pressures can feel overwhelming.
Some stress is a normal part of growing up. In fact, it helps kids develop resilience and prepare for new experiences. When worry begins affecting a child's ability to learn, sleep, socialize or enjoy activities, they may need additional support.
The good news is that parents can play an important role in helping kids recognize their feelings and build healthy coping skills.
1. Listen & validate feelings
When children express fears or worries, parents often want to make them feel better. While encouragement is good, listening first and validating can help children feel understood.
Try asking open-ended questions about what's causing stress and acknowledge their feelings without judgment. A simple response such as, “I can see why that would make you nervous,” can go a long way toward helping your child feel supported.
Parents can also talk through upcoming situations and set expectations with their child. When it's time to start something new, knowing what to expect can reduce uncertainty. Having these conversations can also reveal whether a child is experiencing typical stress or something more persistent.
2. Recognize the signs of anxiety
Some children talk openly about feelings. For others, it shows up differently.
“Anxiety doesn't always look like worry," said Dr. Shital Gaitonde, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia clinical child and adolescent psychologist. "Sometimes it shows up physically through headaches or stomachaches.”
She said other children may have trouble sleeping or seem more emotional than usual: “You may also notice more worrying, clinginess or difficulty separating from parents.”
Signs of anxiety in children include:
- Worrying
- Frequent headaches or stomachaches
- Changes in appetite
- Difficulty sleeping
- Irritability or emotional outbursts
- Difficulty concentrating
- Avoiding school or activities
- Worsening school performance
- Repeatedly seeking reassurance
- Clinginess to parents
“It's normal to have stress; it's not normal to have anxiety,” said Wellstar Children’s of Georgia Pediatrician Dr. Andrew Doyle. "Understandably you get nervous with new situations that make you uncomfortable, but you're still able to do it and have fun. Significant anxiety starts to interfere with a child’s or teen's ability to do what they need to do—homework, school, social situations. That's when it's helpful to get it checked out.”
3. Create routines that build confidence
Children often feel more secure when they know what to expect. Consistent routines can be especially important during transitions.
“One of the best things parents can do is start talking about school before the first day," Dr. Gaitonde said. “A little reassurance now can help make the transition back to school easier.”
Parents can support children by:
- Establishing consistent bedtimes and wake-up times
- Talking through what the day will bring
- Visiting a new environment when possible
- Checking in regularly about friendships and academics
- Building downtime into busy schedules
- Encouraging independence in age-appropriate ways
Avoiding stressful situations may provide temporary relief, but it can make anxiety stronger over time.
Dr. Kayla Fitch, a behavioral health specialist works alongside pediatricians at Wellstar Children's of Georgia pediatricians.
“One of the things I'm the most passionate about is early anxiety treatment for kids. We can help kids when they're 4, 5, 6 years old,” she said. “I teach parents basic concepts around how to expose their children to anxiety-producing situations to decrease their anxiety.”
With guidance and support, children can learn to face challenging situations gradually, developing confidence and resilience over time.
Highlights
Help Your Student Athlete Kick Off the Season Strong
Wellstar is here to help young athletes feel and perform their best. From sports physicals to start the season strong to treating injuries, our care teams specialize in providing expert, kid-centered care for your child.
Kick off the season with a sports physical
Schedule your child’s sports physical before game day arrives. Their care team will check their heart, lungs and overall health so they can feel their best on and off the field.
“Sports physicals are important to screen for any underlying conditions that might put your child at increased risk versus some of their peers,” said Dr. Eric Berg, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia medical director of pediatric surgical services. “It's one of the easiest ways to catch potential issues before kids hit the field. A little preparation now can help prevent injuries later.”
Schedule a sports physical with your child’s pediatrician. You can also visit Wellstar Urgent Care, which takes walk-ins and offers online scheduling.
Take time for rest and hydration
For optimal performance in sports, young athletes need to fuel their bodies—and take breaks when needed.It’s recommended that student athletes consume up to 20 ounces of fluid one hour before an activity and 5 ounces every 15 minutes during the activity.
“Proper nutrition and hydration are critical for all students, but particularly for athletes who are more active and burning more calories,” said Dr. Lindsay Stephenson, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia pediatric orthopedic surgeon. “I recommend using the nutritional guide released by the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. This information makes it easier for students and their parents to understand the nutritional needs of the body to perform in the classroom and during competition.”
Read the nutritional guidelines.
Children also need to incorporate rest into their routine so they don’t overtrain. Kids often enjoy playing with family and friends, and they may not realize they need to take a break, according to Dr. Natalie Witte, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia sports medicine physician.
“They may be more sore than they are normally and not recovering,” Dr. Witte said. “If they’re not hungry after training, they might be so depleted that they’re nauseous or dizzy.”
If your child isn’t feeling well, your family’s pediatrician or sports medicine specialist can evaluate them for injury or illness so they can get back to their favorite activities sooner.
Highlights
BackToSchoolCare: Checking in on Your Child’s Health
As you prepare for the new school year, give your child a positive start by completing your own homework assignment—checking in on their health.
Before heading back to the classroom, prioritize your child’s physical and emotional well-being with a visit to your family’s Wellstar pediatrician. Our compassionate pediatricians share your goal of keeping children healthy as they grow.
“I believe in treating the whole child. What I mean by that is, of course, their physical health is very important, but I also feel that their emotional health is very important,” said Wellstar Pediatrician Dr. Brandi Lewis. “My goal is for all my patients to be resilient, happy and healthy. My role is to work with families to accomplish that goal.”
Preventative check-ups and screenings help children stay ahead of health issues, and our pediatricians will ensure your child is up to date on their vaccines and discuss which immunizations are needed to prevent disease. Your family’s pediatrician can also help you navigate health requirements at your child’s school.
Heading back to school healthy
Teach your child healthy habits so they can feel their best throughout the school year.
Practice good hygiene.
Show children how to wash their hands properly and remind them to do it frequently. Do not send your children to school if they are sick.
Get moving.
Children should have about 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. Staying active can be a fun family activity—ride bikes around the block, play tag in the yard or go for a walk in the park.
Eat healthy.
Teach children about good nutrition by encouraging them to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limiting sugary drinks.