Wellstar Child Life Specialists
About Us
- What is a Child Life Specialist?
- The Healing Power of Play
- Education
- 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 Certified Child Life Specialist, a candidate needs extensive education and training. A four-year undergraduate degree is required. Some candidates graduate with a degree in child life while others graduate with a degree in education, psychology, human development, or a related field of study. Some child life specialists decide to further their education and obtain a master’s degree. These two-year programs provide specialized, in-depth education pertaining to the profession.Each candidate must be certified by the Association of Child Life Professionals. In addition to completing a 600-hour internship or fellowship, candidates must pass the Child Life Professionals examination in order to become certified.
The Healing Power of Play
Play is the work of children [Piaget]. It is how they process events and learn about and relate to the world. Play is especially important in the healthcare setting. Child life specialists utilize play to:- Encourage normal development and positive coping throughout healthcare experiences
- Help children understand and feel more comfortable with medical procedures and environments
- Enable children to process and reflect on prior medical experiences
- Provide choices and a sense of control for children
Education
Child life specialists are a helpful resource for caregivers and parents who are interested in learning more about how children develop, respond to challenges, and cope with stress.
Preparation
- Reduce anxiety
- Develop trust in caregivers and staff
- Identify stressors and develop coping methods
- Give choices and a sense of control over what will happen
Child life specialists help children understand not only the sequence of events but also – more specifically – what children will feel, see, hear, taste and smell. During preparation, child life specialists provide information based upon the child’s level of development, often using pictures and medical manipulatives to promote understanding. Talking openly and honestly to children using words they understand can make the healthcare experience easier to manage, and it can also provide opportunities for children to express fears or concerns.
Support for Patients and Family
Throughout preparation, child life specialists also 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 but may include strategies such as:For Parents
- Stating honestly how something may feel without minimizing it
- Informing staff 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 the upcoming procedure
For Children
- Distraction: refocusing your child’s attention to an activity they find interest in
- 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
For Children of Adult Patients
Child life specialists are available to help children and teens learn about their loved one’s illness, injury, or treatment. Having a parent, grandparent, or other adult family member in the hospital can be a confusing and challenging change in a child’s life. Child life specialists can work with caregivers to educate their children and teens through kid-friendly language, books, and hands-on teaching materials. At Wellstar, there are designated child life specialists with additional training to support children of adult patients.Grief & Bereavement Support
A child who is old enough to love is old enough to grieve. Though children’s understanding of death and ways of coping are different from adults, it is still important that they receive 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 learn about the death, express emotions, and create keepsakes in memory of their loved one. Specific services include:- Guidance and resources for caregivers to help support children and teens who are grieving
- Preparation for children and teens who are visiting a loved one who is dying
- Strategies for children and teens to express and manage their emotions in healthy ways
- Legacy building through family artwork or remembrance projects
- Connection with additional grief support resources in their community
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. These events are sponsored by Wellstar Community Hospice.Camp Tranquility
Camp Tranquility is a one-day community workshop for individuals and families who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Adults and campers six years of age and older participate in sessions designed to aid in healthy grief expression. For more information, contact us at (470) 245-9959 or email [email protected]. At Camp Tranquility, participants build community 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 who are entering First to Seventh Grade from Troup, Coweta, Heard, Meriwether and Harris counties who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Created in 1997 as an outreach of West Georgia Hospice, it now serves up to 60 children each summer with the help of about 80 volunteers. Through art, games and stories, campers will be helped to:- Realize that all people grieve
- Discover healthy ways to deal with grief
- Find positive ways of remembering their loved one
- Learn healthy coping skills while enjoying fun activities
More Resources
- Camp Kesem - programs and services for children who have a parent with a cancer diagnosis or have lost a parent to cancer
- Camp Erin - bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives
- Kate’s Club - bereavement programs for children, adolescents, and young adults
- Association of Child Life Professionals
For Reading
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 & teens whose loved one is hospitalized
- Grief and bereavement support
- Consultative support for parents/caregivers on child development, responses to and strategies for managing stress and trauma
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Highlights
Prostate Cancer Screening in Black Men
Screening for prostate cancer is crucial for early detection and to help provide the best possible outcome. It is especially important for Black men to be vigilant about screening, as they are disproportionately impacted by this cancer.
About 1 in 6 Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 white men, according to a report from the American Cancer Society. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Black men.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men at an average risk of developing prostate cancer begin screening when they are 50, but Black men should start earlier—at age 45 if they have no family history of prostate cancer, and at age 40 if any of their male relatives have had prostate cancer. Wellstar takes a personalized approach to cancer screenings, with clinicians discussing benefits versus risks of screening and helping patients evaluate their risk.
“Despite many physicians being aware of this and following this practice, Black men continue to be diagnosed with and die from metastatic prostate cancer. This is a trend that desperately needs to be reversed,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Earl Stewart. “We have adequate screening tools that do not even require a digital rectal examination.”
The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is more accurate than the digital rectal examination in helping to detect prostate cancer, according to Dr. Stewart. Patients should also discuss family history with their relatives. “Patients knowing their family history is so crucial in having those discussions with primary care physicians to determine the best age at which to start screening,” Dr. Stewart said.
Screening for prostate cancer is as simple as making a preventive appointment with your primary care physician, discussing your family history with him or her, and having a PSA blood test. This test may be performed during an annual physical or wellness visit. Shared decision making between physician and patient is important to discuss your risk, your need for testing and next steps to take if your PSA level is elevated and concerning. Knowing your risk can save your life.
“I know many personally who are near and dear to me who had the disease and who unfortunately died from complications of metastatic prostate cancer,” Dr. Stewart said. “I know many more who lived because they had the conversation and dared to move forward with appropriate screening at the appropriate age.”
Highlights
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center Expands Cardiac Services with New Procedures
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center is now offering device implantations and catheter ablations in a new, state-of-the-art heart care lab, expanding the hospital’s cardiology services.
If you have a heart rhythm disorder and need a permanent cardiac device like a pacemaker or defibrillator implanted, Paulding’s cardiologists now offer these procedures close to home with qualified, compassionate providers who will take the time to get to know your needs.
Your care team will continue to support you after the device is implanted, too. Your electrophysiologist will ensure your device continues to work properly and check the battery life, and you’ll be able to work with our experts to create a personalized diet, exercise, lifestyle and medication plan to keep your heart in top shape.
Paulding also offers another solution for arrhythmia—catheter ablations. During this procedure, a small tube is inserted into a blood vessel, then guided to the heart to scar areas of tissue that are causing the abnormal heart rhythm. The scars block the electrical impulses that cause the abnormal rhythm.
To make an appointment, call (678) 324-4444.
Highlights
Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center Completes 250 Procedures Treating Venous Thromboembolism
The peripheral vascular care team at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, a leading facility in the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), has completed its 250th venous thromboembolism (VTE) procedure.
According to the American Heart Association, VTE is the third most common vascular diagnosis after heart attacks and strokes, and affects between 300,000 and 600,000 Americans each year. There are two types of VTE:
- Deep vein thrombosis is a clot in a deep vein. It usually occurs in the leg, but it can also appear in the arms.
- A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot breaks off the vein and travels to the lungs, blocking the blood supply.
VTE can be fatal and can cause lifelong disability. Early intervention is crucial. At Wellstar North Fulton, the heart care team was an early adopter of a groundbreaking treatment for VTE, which uses a catheter to remove the clot. The clinician inserts the catheter through the groin and navigates it to the clot for treatment.
Wellstar North Fulton continues to receive referrals from around the region for this procedure and is one of the highest volume hospitals for VTE care in metro Atlanta.
Previous treatment options included open chest surgery, blood thinners and clot-busting medications. These methods posed a higher risk of complications, especially for patients who have recently undergone another surgical procedure. Because a recent surgery can put a patient at higher risk for VTE, using a catheter to remove the clot is safer for many patients. This new treatment method has reduced patients’ hospital stays for VTE from an average of five to seven days to only one or two days.
Recognizing and preventing VTE
If you or someone else is showing signs of VTE, seek emergency care as soon as possible.
Symptoms of VTE include:
- Swelling of the legs
- Lightheadedness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Risk factors for VTE include not moving for a longer period of time—such as when someone is on bed rest following surgery—as well as some medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders or kidney disease. Your Wellstar care team can help you evaluate your risk of VTE and manage your risk factors.
Learn more about cardiovascular care at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.