For children who have been hospitalized, the experience can feel especially scary, filled with the unknown in an unfamiliar place. Thankfully, children’s hospitals have teams dedicated to making the experience as good as it can be for the child and their family.
The experienced teams at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone are dedicated to customizing the health care experience for each child and family. The Sala Institute for Child- and Family-Centered Care is leading that mission at the children’s hospital, where the team provides support services and resiliency programs, family partnership programs, and safety and quality initiatives.
Jami Egorow, MS, CCLS, clinical manager for Child Life and Creative Arts Therapies from the Sala Institute, is showing how specialized programs such as art, music, drama, and animal-assisted therapy help “normalize” the hospital environment and create ways for children to continue. growing, healing and developing – at the bedside and beyond.
As a child life specialist who works with children and families, what is the most important part of what you do?
One of the best things we can do is reduce the stress that children of all ages, from infants to teenagers, and their families can experience in hospital. It can be anxiety-provoking to be in a new and unfamiliar place, and we’re specially trained to be there to help children understand what they’re going through, to give them opportunities to cope – whether it’s art or music – and really help the whole family feel more comfortable and gain a greater sense of control.
How can play be an important tool in helping children understand medical procedures?
Play is the language of children and is universal. Instead of asking them, “Tell me what you’re afraid of today,” if we play a game, they can relax enough to be able to share their feelings. Because treatments and procedures such as blood draws or surgery can be overwhelming, we use a range of tools and techniques to support children before, during and after a procedure. We use medical play, such as a doll-sized MRI machine to help children understand what they might see, hear, feel, smell or taste during a procedure. We help children find ways to relax and feel more comfortable through play and other fun activities.
What is the biggest surprise for parents or caregivers during a child’s hospital stay?
How resilient children are. As adults, we know all the things that can make a medical diagnosis or treatments and procedures anxiety-provoking. But for kids, when they end up in the hospital, whether it’s for a scheduled surgery or an unexpected trip to the emergency room, they may not have the cognitive ability or the context to fully understand, so we do our best to make it easier the experience. Often, families will be surprised to see how well their child does, especially how he can smile and have fun during a difficult time.
What can caregivers do to minimize their child’s anxiety about medical visits or hospital stays?
Preparation is important because we find that kids who know what to expect cope better in the long run. This may look like telling your child ahead of time what to expect from the visit in age-appropriate language with enough information to address what they may ask, and as child life specialists, we we also do this in the hospital with various teaching tools such as imaginative games, books and videos.
Parents know their children best and we work with them to understand what their child may need at that moment. We also make sure caregivers have their needs met, whether it’s taking a 15-minute coffee break or a phone call outside the room while we spend time with their child. Children read the emotions of caregivers in the room, so we find that reducing a parent’s stress can ultimately help their child.
What can families bring to comfort their child in the hospital?
We encourage parents to bring a comfort item, something their child can bond with to make the environment a little less scary, whether it’s their favorite stuffed animal, a favorite blanket or their tablet, so so they can watch their favorite shows. Having those familiar items can be helpful for your child’s overall coping.
What does it mean to you personally to be able to help patients and families?
It is truly an honor to work with patients and their families. Children are vulnerable when they spend time and are asked to express themselves with someone new, so having this connection is powerful. I work closely with medical providers and other members of the interdisciplinary team to ensure that the voice of each child and family is at the center of their medical plan. No parent ever wants to imagine their child in the hospital, but child life specialists are available to help you on that journey in any way you need.
Jami Egorow, MS, CCLS, is a board certified child life specialist and clinical manager for Child Life and Creative Arts Therapies from the Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone.
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