Child life

Methodology:
Setting: the study was conducted in pediatric oncology department of King Fahad Medical
Center City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Study design: prospective study.
The process of establishing a child life program involves the training and preparation of a team
consisting of four individuals. The team will go through an intense training course that lasts one
year. Throughout this training period, they will gain the essential knowledge, abilities, and
experience required to effectively support and care for children. The team will collaborate
closely with healthcare experts, families, and children to provide age-appropriate activities,
emotional support, and educational resources suited to each child's specific requirements.

Psychological Preparation:
Preparation is an important part of a child life program and has a crucial impact in how a child
experiences hospitalization. When preparing children and their families for surgery, these
specialists do more than just provide precise descriptions of the procedures; they also let children
express their own expectations and views about the process. This preparation entails teaching
and offering psychological support to children and their families, as well as providing them with
knowledge and emotional support to help them understand and cope with future medical
treatments. Explaining the nature of the operation, its risks and benefits, what to expect
throughout the procedure, and addressing any questions or issues they may have been all part of
it. Child life specialists assist to a higher understanding and emotional well-being for children
and their families during medical play by combining accurate explanations with opportunities for
children to express their views and feelings (Percelay et al., 2014). Child life specialists use a
variety of strategies to properly communicate and explain medical procedures or operations to
children, including conversation, visual aids such as images, and play activities. These methods
allow children to ask inquiries and learn coping strategies. By engaging children in this way,
child life specialists promote their understanding, emotional well-being, and active engagement
in their healthcare journey (LeBlanc et al., 2014).

Pain-Management and Coping Strategies:

Addressing and treating pain is regarded as an ethical necessity, and child life specialists play an
important role in the treatment of acute and chronic pain in children. They use non-
pharmacological methods to effectively manage pain and offer children the necessary assistance.
Distraction is a tactic often used by child life specialists and is considered a cognitive strategy for
pain management. Deep breathing, age-appropriate toys, electronic devices, and guided imagery
are examples of distraction approaches. These strategies are adapted to the developmental stage
of the child and personalized to meet their specific demands (Beickert & Mora, 2017).
The Therapeutic Value of Play:
Child life specialists frequently use therapeutic play to help children cope with their emotions.
This sort of play, directed by the child, allows them to actively engage in and take influence over
their healthcare experiences. Child life specialists receive vital insight into patients' worries and
degrees of knowledge around healthcare events through these play exercises (Wilson, 2006).
Engages the child in a play session meant to encourage the expression of feelings, concerns, and
questions about hospitalization. This play session helps the child explore and work through their
emotions by utilizing toys, art, role acting, and other interactive ways. (LeBlanc et al., 2014)

Family support
Pediatric medical professionals realize that the presence of family members has a substantial
positive impact on a child's adjustment to the healthcare experience. As a result, they
aggressively encourage and support family participation in patient care. Child life specialists
help family members understand their child's reaction to treatment and support parents in their
caring tasks. They accomplish this by organizing parent-child play sessions and discussing
comforting techniques for children through medical procedures. Their goal is to increase parental
understanding and involvement while also providing tips on how to calm children in difficult
medical situations (Wilson, 2006). In addition, child life specialists provide informative
resources to help your family understand the medical system, actively listen to your problems,
and provide emotional support. They may also offer parenting advice and assistance to family
and siblings. In addition, they foster and encourage beneficial interactions between parents and
children (LeBlanc et al., 2014).
Reference
Ro Percelay, J. M., Betts, J. M., Chitkara, M., Jewell, J. A., Preuschoff, C. K., & Rauch, D. A.
(2014). Child Life Services. Pediatrics, 133(5), e1471–e1478. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-
0556
LeBlanc, C., Naugler, K., Morrison, K. L., Parker, J. A., & Chambers, C. T. (2014). Parent

Perceptions and Satisfaction with Inpatient Child Life Specialist Interventions and the

Role of Child Temperament. Children’s Health Care, 43(3), 253–272.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2013.845732

Wilson, J. M. (2006). Child Life Services. Pediatrics, 118(4), 1757–1763.

https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-1941

Bandstra, N. F., Skinner, L. J., LeBlanc, C., Chambers, C. T., Hollon, E. C., Brennan, D., &

Beaver, C. (2008). The role of child life in Pediatric Pain Management: A survey of child

life specialists. The Journal of Pain, 9(4), 320–329.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2007.11.004

Beickert, K., & Mora, K. (2017). Transforming the Pediatric Experience: The Story of Child life.

Pediatric Annals, 46(9). https://doi.org/10.3928/19382359-20170810-01