Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Program
Our child life specialists are here for every child
Core activities include developmentally appropriate play, medical play and preparation, procedural support, art and music therapy, and a resource center. We also maintain a full agenda of special events for our young patients, including pet therapy, movies, arts and crafts, a hospital patient art gallery and a horticulture program.
With developmentally appropriate guidance of certified child life specialists, children are provided with various activities to help them learn about their illness, injury, medical/surgical procedures, hospital routines, and the medical team they will encounter during their stay. Children are given the opportunity to explore medical equipment, photo preparation books, and teaching dolls to help relieve any fears and concerns they may have. The child life staff members are available to provide comfort and support, and to accompany children during medical procedures and exams.
Our professionals are trained in child development and in the specific issues of the medically ill child. They provide emotional support and a variety of play experiences to decrease fear and enhance understanding for pediatric patients. We recognize that children rely on their families for support, so parents, siblings and extended family members are also provided services for education and successful coping.
Interdisciplinary team
As part of the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, child life specialists work closely with the doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, case managers and social workers to provide the best comprehensive care available to each patient.
There child life and creative arts therapy services currently available on inpatient units include:
- Adolescence
- Medical
- Surgical
- Hematology/oncology
- Pediatric intensive care
- Neonatal intensive care
Outpatient units include:
- Emergency Department
- Hematology/Oncology Clinic
- Ambulatory surgery
- Presurgical testing
- Eating Disorder Clinic
- Radiology
Child life specialists work on these units, in the playrooms and at the bedside. Additional services are available by appointment.
Internship and practicum opportunities
At Cohen Children’s, we offer the following internship and practicum programs for those looking to advance their career in child life and music therapy:
See our creative arts therapy in action
Our children and therapists at Cohen Children’s Medical Center teamed up and wrote a song to help heal and inspire. Hear their stories below.
Written with the help of our child life specialists and creative arts therapists, “We are Number One” demonstrates the strong bond between our children and their therapists, and the healing music they can create.