What is a child life specialist do?

What does a child life specialist do? Child life specialists are health care professionals who help children and families navigate the process of illness, injury, disability, trauma, or hospitalization.

Is a child life specialist a doctor?

4. Child Life specialists are an integral and integrated part of a child’s medical team. Child Life specialists are an essential member of a child’s multidisciplinary medical team, which may include doctors, nurses, social workers, teachers, therapists and counselors.

What field is a child life specialist?

What is a child life specialist? The goal of a certified child life specialist (CCLS) is to reduce the stress and anxiety childrenand families experience related to healthcare and hospitalization. CCLSs are experts in child development. They promote effective coping through education, preparation, and play.

Can a child life specialist travel?

Jude’s child life program allows child life specialists to travel to a child’s school and give a presentation to the patient’s peers about his or her illness and time in the hospital. Other child life specialists work specifically in one hospital department.

What is the job description of a child life specialist?

child life specialist. Also found in: Acronyms, Wikipedia. a professional who specializes in the use of developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions that help children and their families cope with challenging life events and experiences, such as those related to health care and hospitalization.

What is a child health care specialist?

A health care specialist who helps children and their families cope with illnesses and injuries. Disease or injury poses unique stresses for children, their siblings, and their parents.

How many child life specialists are there in the US?

In 2016, there were 53,500 child life specialists in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this profession to grow at an average rate over the next decade. In terms of career advancement, many child life specialists move into management and supervisory roles.

How can a child life specialist help with hospitalization stress?

Luckily, many medical facilities are combating the stress of childhood hospitalization by employing child life specialists to work with these families. These trained professionals are there specifically to support children and their families as they deal with the emotional and physical stress of hospital stays and medical procedures.