By Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

March 31st has finally arrived, which can only mean one thing, it's the end of Child Life Month.  When I started going through all of the photos that are above this, it stuck me what a month it has been.  Our goal for Child Life Month was to use it as an opportunity for education, advocacy, awareness, and celebration.

It would be easy to imagine a month in which we celebrated ourselves, but we at Le Bonheur Children's Child Life Services saw it different.  Instead of relaxing and celebrating, our staff worked even harder to make all of this happen.  What is more amazing is that it is the wonderful individuals that make up this department that took the ideas and turned them into reality.

We have seen families be able to rest and relax, whether it was a relaxation/pampering experience or just being able to talk to another adult at the parent breakfast.  There was lots of fun, just look at the pictures from Game-a-palooza or the Pep Rally.  It doesn't take a great stretch to see the impact that it made.

However, what you don't see if the tireless efforts of the everyday work the child life staff does.  We understand the opportunity we have to make on the experience of a patient and family while they are at Le Bonheur Children's.  There is a clear mission and purpose we have been tasked, and the child life specialist, child life assistants, and school teachers go above and beyond to meet it. 

It is because of this dedication that we are able to provide the excellent care and service we do.  And it is that reason that I am thankful for every single member of this team.  Le Bonheur Children's Child Life Services would not be the same without them.

We are far from the only child life program in the nation (or world).  So, I would encourage you to let any person you know in the field of Child Life know that you appreciate the work they do.  Remember that even though they are supporting lots of people, it's always nice for them to feel supported too.

by Dana Givens
Child Life Specialist 

My day at Le Bonheur Children's starts out on 7 west which is the cardiac and surgical floor. It is a very busy time in the morning with medical staff are checking charts for patients to go to procedures. I work closely with the medical team to prepare patients for procedures such as going to the Starlight Room, surgery, central line/PICC line placements, and IV starts to name a few.

In the morning I talk with the charge nurse and she fills me in on how the patients are doing and what medical procedure they will be having today. In discharge planning I get more information about the patients and families and what we, as a team, need to do to help them get home. Discharge planning involves many departments working together such as: child life, social work, case management, pharmacy, nutrition, spiritual care and surgery nurse practitioner.

My mid-morning is spent preparing my patients for procedures that they will have. I provide age appropriate/developmentally preparation for patients who will be getting a medical procedure done that might be scary or frightening. I make sure that the patients have an opportunity to have all their fears and questions addressed before their procedure.

I provide this through using pictures, medical equipment, and teaching dolls to prepare patients for their procedures, focusing on what the patient will feel, hear, see and smell. Sometime patients need extra support during their procedures. I am there to help them along the way and provide procedural support, having a familiar face and words of encourage can go along way.

I love to encourage my patients to have some fun! An important part of post surgical care is to get out of bed and walk, or as we say in the hospital, ambulate. One of the ways I encourage my patients to get up and walk is to invite them to join in on the Child Life special events. Game-a-palooza was lots of fun for the patients, families, and staff. I had lots of fun helping my patients' play and they won some cool prizes and got to walk around, which is just what the doctor ordered!

I often use art activities to help me better understand what my patients are going through and how they feel about their hospitalization. Emotions and feelings can often be represented through art. This gives me a chance to make sure they are coping well with being in the hospital. Tie-dyeing was a blast and very informative!

Another way that I make sure that my patients are coping well is to encourage them and their family to use the playroom. What better way to assess how a child is doing than to see them play? Many times patients face situations in the hospital that can be scary. Providing them with a safe environment where they can be themselves is very important to their hospital stay. After all play is what children do best!

by Kayleigh Gutchall
Child Life Specialist

This fourth week of March marks our final week of Child Life Month. Over the last three weeks, we have seen Le Bonheur Children’s spirit, found that we have SuperStars in our midst, figured that the Price is Right, and experienced some quality family bonding time. To end Child Life Month, Le Bonheur Children’s Child Life Staff is finishing the only way we know how, with a bang!

Child Life Week is the fourth and final week of Child Life Month. It is all about fun events, games, and prizes that celebrate everything Child Life has to offer our patients, families, and staff.

In celebration, we had three main events. Our first event was a Toy Story Extravaganza. As you know, reading is an extremely important aspect in children’s development. On Monday, we were able to encourage families to read to their children by having a Toy Story party where we passed out toys and stories to each patient and watched Toy Story 1 & 2 back to back.

Our second event was held on Wednesday, Teddy Bear Clinic.  Each child received a teddy bear that was their very own “patient” for the day. They had the opportunity to visit different stations to have procedures that they would normally have, done to their teddy bear instead. They were also able to tour Le Bonheur Children’s very own ambulance.

Our third event is our final blowout that is happening today at 2pm. Child Life is having a Carnival full of games, arts and crafts, and a concession stand equipped with Sheridan’s Frozen Custard to celebrate.

To show our appreciation for making this March the best Child Life month yet, we have I <3 Child Life stickers available this week for patients, families and staff to wear in their support of Child Life. Find a Child Life Staff member to get your sticker today.

THANK YOU, from your Child Life Staff!

by Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

Earlier last month, Google announced that they were looking for a partner for the Google Fiber.  The Google Fiber project aims to provide a better, faster connection to the Internet, boosting speeds up to 100 times faster than current speeds.  What's more amazing is that Google plans on sharing the information they learn from establishing this fiber networks with the world.  Memphis' Mayor A.C. Wharton, Jr. has completed the city's application for Google Fiber and has urged the community to show it's support for the application.

One of the greatest aspects of this city I have come to love is the way Memphis can come together to help the entire community. So, I want do my part and share my support for Memphis' application for Google Fiber.  If selected, the implications would be a tremendous boon for Memphis.

Imagine a setting where the physicians at Le Bonheur Children's could quickly collaborate with other physicians around the Mid-South, the country, and the world.  They would be able to more efficiently send images, test results, and other elements of the electronic medical record for a quick return would be game changing.  The impact on pediatric health and well-being would be amazing.

Or how about being able to seamlessly stream students in the Le Bonheur Children's school program with their home classroom?  This would allow patients to learn along side their peers, without even being in the classroom.  The social inclusion and shared experience for the patients would be tremendously therapeutic and would help facilitate the transition back into the classroom. 

We can even take this scenario one step further.  The Google Fiver would allow our patients to have better Internet based applications to research and learn about their own diagnoses.  Considering the connection speeds that are being talked about, it's mind blowing to think about what those applications would be able to do.  A patient with a specific brain tumor, with the right application, could find information, connect with others with the same diagnosis, and watch a broadcast of a physician speaking on treatments - all at a rate exponentially faster than anything currently available.

The possibilities are astounding, and Memphis would greatly benefit from the Google Fiber project.  I would implore the Google Fiber Site Selection Team to strongly consider Memphis' application.  The partnership between the two would set the stage for what corporate and community partnership should be.

by Lauren Wilson
Child Life Specialist

As you walk down the noisy toy isle at your neighborhood store you encounter all the latest and greatest toys and movies that are proven to make your child smarter and increase their language development. These gadgets and DVDs are said to stimulate the brain and enhance their mental growth. Yes, these toys are fun for your child, but why continue to spend your hard earned dollars on endless toys (that usually require batteries!) when one the most educational resources is probably already sitting on your shelf…a book.

Research shows that the time you spend reading to your child is the most beneficial way to help your babies’ brain grow and develop. Reading shouldn’t be reserved for school aged children who are learning to sound out words; reading should start at birth, or even before. By reading aloud to your child, they will be exposed to more words and sounds that will increase their language development. Books filled with rhymes and repetition help to strengthen the language connections in our pattern-seeking brain.

Reading doesn’t just stimulate the language side of the brain; it also encourages the social and emotional side. It is an intimate way to connect with your child. It is an opportunity to get away from the busy day-to-day life as you curl up and spend one-on-one time learning about each other.

As you read to your child, your touch and your voice comfort them. This is something a movie or TV show cannot provide because of the fast pace talking and flashing screens. A book allows children to hear different emotions through voice inflections and provides an opportunity to share smiles and laughter.

Our society has slowly strayed from spending quiet time digging into a good book and steered more towards time in front of the television or playing video games. Start a new hobby with your children that will benefit them at school and in life. Help them grow to love reading by spending uninterrupted time in front of a book each day. It’s never too late or too early to start.

by Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

Do you like ice cream?  How about super premium ice cream?  Okay, how about FREE super premium ice cream?

Now I know I have your attention.

Tomorrow, Tuesday March 23, 2010, is Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day.  The festivities begin at 12:00 noon and end at 8:00 p.m.  It's your chance to get a free ice cream cone, and enjoy in all of the other fun of the event.  There will be some special visitors and even face painting for the kids.

We want to make sure that people know about Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day because the Memphis area stores will be collecting donations to benefit Le Bonheur Children's.  You'll have the opportunity to have some great ice cream, a good time, and help a worth cause.  Since there are three Memphis area locations, it's easy to get out there I know that I'll be there!

Additionally, in my entirely unscientific research, I have found that when you make a donation to help and eat your free ice cream, it negates all calories in the ice cream.  (Authors Note: The previous statement has not been confirm with Nutrition Services, the FDA, or anything else other than the writers imagination.)  So, tell your friends, because it's gonna be huge.

by Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

This week, I had the experience of having a root canal.  Now, before you feel bad for me, I was grateful when the dentist asked me if I would like to start today.  And no, I’m not going for sympathy.

As I lay in the dental chair, looking up at the lights and ceilings, I was reminded of how scary coming to the dentist can be, especially if it is the first time.  There aren’t many kids I know that would be happy to let strangers put odd-looking equipment in their mouths.  However, have no fear, there are things that you can do to help your child have a great first visit to the dentist.

• Talk to you child about going to the dentist office: Talk about the sights, the sounds, the smells, and the tastes.  These are the areas that will most interest your child, and remember to keep the language positive.
• The purpose of the dentist and the team: It is important that children know that dentist are friendly doctors that help them to keep their teeth strong and healthy.  You can do a lot to reinforce to your child the importance and help a dentist gives.  Don’t forget to talk about the dental hygienist and other people in the office.
• Visit the dentist office: Before your child’s first dental cleaning, call the dentist office and see if they will allow you to come for a visit.  This is a great, non-threatening way to introduce your child to the environment.  Be sure to praise them during the experience.

A visit to the dentist is a great opportunity to talk about the importance of brushing teeth.  Use it as a time to remind them about how to brush and how it pays off.  Another great resource is an educational module on A Visit to the Dentist from the American Dental Association.

The most important thing is that you prepare them for the experience.  Their teeth need to last them a lifetime, and your dentist will thank you for all of your work.

by Jenny Shelton
Lead Child Life Specialist

Having a family member in the hospital is difficult for all of us, and when it is your child your whole world is changed.  When parents/caregivers have a child in the hospital their focus is now on what can be done to make their child well.  It is the natural instinct for parents/caregivers to want to make things better for their hospitalized child while surviving on little sleep and lots of worry.

Many times parents/caregivers forget to think about themselves and that is why Le Bonheur Children's Child Life Services strives to provide support for the whole entire family.  Parents/caregivers can easily forget that they must take care of themselves.  It is with that in mind that we wrote up some tips for parents to remember while they have a child at Le Bonheur Children's. 

• Self-care/Coping: Parents/caregivers need to take care of themselves by getting sleep, appropriate nutrition, and taking breaks from the hospital environment.  Some families find it helpful to document/journal their experience while in the hospital.
• Emotional Support: Parents/Caregivers need to enlist the support of family, friends, and their faith community to cope with the stress and anxiety that occurs when your child is in the hospital. 
• Seeking Help: Parents/Caregivers need to seek help from those around them when they are having difficulty coping.  Most hospitals have support services (chaplain, mental health professional, and social workers) to help families when typical coping techniques are no longer working.

As a parent/caregiver, you want to give your all to your child, and that means taking care of yourself.  If you are completely stressed out and exhausted, this will translate over to your child.  You don't even have to say a word to them, your child will pick up on your non-verbal cues.

Remember that here are Le Bonheur Children's, we see parents/caregivers as part of the treatment team, and we need to make sure that all members of that team are taking care of themselves.  That's part of the way we know that we can provide the best possible care to the patient.

by Dana Givens, Child Life Specialist 
and Sallee Chalk, Child Life Specialist

This week's theme for Child Life Month is Family Week! Child Life advocates for patient and family centered care so that care includes the patient, parents, and siblings. Siblings, who can easily be  forgotten about during the patient's hospitalization, play and vital role in the lives our patients. They provide normalization through play and acts as support systems to aid in coping with their environment.

Most people realize that hospitalization can be traumatic for the patient, but it can also be traumatic for their siblings as well. A brother or sister can have feelings of anxiety, fear, guilt, and jealousy. Child Life Services provides siblings with opportunities to express these feelings in a developmentally appropriate manner.  For instance, we may engage the sibling(s) in specific sibling related games and activities.  It is comforting for a sibling to know that there are other brothers and sisters in the same situation they are in.

Child Life strives to provide child friendly education to siblings through a variety of activities such as sibling preparations. The first time a sibling visits the patient can be overwhelming, and that is especially true if they are in one of Le Bonheur Children's critical areas.  Child Life provides sibling preparations to prepare the child to visit the patient, using pictures of the child and medical equipment along with child friendly explanation of their use. Remember that the unknown elements of the visit make it far scarier than if they know what to expect.

Siblings are encouraged to take part in Child Life calendar activities with the patients to encourage normalization and socialization.  Some of theses activities are playrooms, teen room, creative arts, and special events hosted by community organizations.

Siblings are an important part of families, and Le Bonheur Children’s recognizes their  importance during hospitalization.  Outside of the hospital, patients and their siblings interact on a regular basis, and why shouldn't the same thing be true for the hospital.

by Stephanie Kellough
Child Life Assisant

If you spend an extended period of time in the hospital it can get pretty boring for patients and families.  One thing that Le Bonheur Children's Child Life Department does is encourages families to have their own game night.  It is a great way to get the family together for a fun time that they may not think of doing otherwise.  As a matter of fact, a family game night may be perfect for your family.

It can be difficult for families to spend quality time together, especially when you consider school, work, and every thing in between.  However, bringing your family together doesn’t have to be a major Operation.    In The Game of Life, what’s important is the time you spend with your family. Even if you all have crazy schedules, making your family a priority is worth the effort.   What better way to spend quality time together than a game night? 

Here are some great reasons to start having a family game night:

• When your children are acting like a Barrel of Monkeys, family game night can help.
• If you want to lessen the Risk of losing touch with your family, family game night can help.
• If you want to learn more about your children’s personalities, here’s a Clue, family game night can help.
• If you want a Memory to last a lifetime, family game night can help.

 Bonding with your family is easy as Uno, dos, tres.  Family game night does not have to be exhausting. So before you Topple over, just remember to keep it simple.  Here are a few games that we suggest to help keep it simple: Battleship, Twister, Sorry, Cooties, Trouble, Checkers, Scrabble, Connect Four, Taboo, Monopoly, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Cranium, Cadoo, and Mancala. 

Here’s wishing you a Happy Game Night!!!

by Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

Here we are in the second week of March, and we are still celebrating Child Life Month.  This week are focusing on games, which are a great form of play.  So, I thought I would take a chance to talk about one of the organizations that we work with to help us to let families play.

The name of that organization is Child's Play.  Their beginning comes from the gang at Penny Arcade in 2003.  They began working with children's hospitals to provide toys and games for the patients treated there. Child's Play has brought together the gamer community from all across the internet. 

Le Bonheur Children's has been working with Child's Play for a while now, and they have been a real life saver for us.  One of the hardest things for us to keep enough of is video games, and Child's Play has been a true hero for Le Bonheur Children's.  There have been several times our staff has commented that they don't know what they would do with out them.

Child's Play has done an excellent job of messaging and organizing people to help meet the individual needs of each children's hospital enrolled.  As a matter of fact, they even have a specific page for Le Bonheur Children's.  On top of the wish list, there are lots of other great things that they do.  Be sure to check out there website for a better understanding of all they do.

So, from all of the patients and families that have been helped and the entire Child Life Department at Le Bonheur Children's, thank you Child's Play for all of the great things that you do.

by Stephanie Kellough
Child Life Assistant

It’s true that in March Le Bonheur Children’s celebrates Child Life Month.  It’s also true that in Child Life, we are all about education, empowerment, advocacy, and family support. We aim to meet patients and families where there needs are, and  that means being ready with any number of services.

In addition to all of those listed above, Le Bonheur Children’s Child Life Services strongly believe in the power of play.  It is the serious work of childhood, after all!  We believe in play so much that an entire week of Child Life Month is dedicated to it. So, welcome to the second week of March, or as we like to call it…Game Week!

One of the biggest activities during Game Week is Game-A-Palooza.  This year marks the third annual Game-A-Palooza, and needless to say, we are so pumped for it!  Game-A-Palooza is a giant game that is geared towards the patient and their family.  It is similar to The Price is Right. 

Patients and their family members become our contestants and are invited to “Come on down”.  We then play a series of games ranging from Pictionary to Charades to Tic Tac Toe Trivia.  Everyone who comes down gets a chance to play our games and everyone walks away a winner!  Even the patients who can’t come out of their rooms, for various reasons, get to watch on our CCTV.  It’s such a fun day and we are hoping for our biggest turnout ever. 

Child Life Services knows the important of play, and the role that it serves in the hospital experience.  Throughout the year we use play and games to teach about the hospital, to distract from the environment, or to even just have fun.  Everyone expects excellent care when they come to the hospital, and Child Life Services goes the extra effort to make sure that they can expect some fun too.

by Casey Caughran
Child Life Specialist

We all have a superstar in us, and it’s that part that is deep down inside that just shines.  Our plan is to recognize and reward the hard work of our Le Bonheur Children’s associates.  In order to do this we are engaging our patients and families in an activity promoting patient- and family-centered care.

We are going to put the Le Bonheur Children’s staff to the test and have some fun with it.  We’ll get started by distributing superstars to each of our patients.  The patients and their families will choose who is going above and beyond while demonstrating patient- and family-centered care.

Each child will have the opportunity to decide who will earn a star.  The staff member will then be in the running for becoming the ultimate “superstar”.  During our Pep Rally, which you have already read about, the “superstar” will be announced and recognized for serving Le Bonheur Children’s patients and families with compassion.  Stay tuned to find out who LeBonheur Children’s SuperStar will be.

The Child Life Department promotes patient- and family-centered care on a daily basis. We strive to put the patient and family first and keep them involved in all aspects of their admission and treatment. This activity has several goals, one of, which includes promoting patient- and family-centered care. 

Additionally, the activity will provide an opportunity for control for participating patients.  Giving children a responsibility promotes a sense of control over any given situation.  While hospitalized, much control is taken away from patients, and where it can be gained is crucial.

Note:  As part of Child Life Month, we are having posts about different aspects of Le Bonheur Children's Child Life Services.  I am excited to do so by introducing a new writer, Casey Caughran, who is part of the Child Life team.

by Casey Caughran
Child Life Specialist

We are kicking off Child Life Month with Spirit Week.  The idea behind the week long celebration is to get Le Bonheur Children's associates excited and aware of Child Life Month.  This is an opportunity for the Child Life staff to educate those around us of our role on the treatment team and the services that we can provide their patients.

We will do this through both fun and education.  For example, we will have the different units and areas of the hospital show their Le Bonheur Children's Spirit through decorating a megaphone.  They will have to be extra creative if they want to win during a special event during the week.

One of the main events during Spirit Week is going to be our first ever Pep Rally.  It will be a big event that will engage the entire hospital in the celebration, and at the same time help raise awareness of Child Life Services.  One of the more fun elements during the Pep Rally will be our very own child life staff will be performing silly skits to entertain our patients and families.
 

A big part of being a child life specialist is providing a normal environment that can also provide distraction from the overall hospital experience.  Special events, such as our Pep Rally, are just one way our Child Life team provides distraction from the hospital environment and promotes positive coping throughout a hospital admission.  Our goal is to provide normalcy to the hospital, and to do so during moments that bring smiles to our patients’ faces despite the otherwise uncomfortable events. 
 

Spending time in a small room with strangers coming and going all day, experiencing blood tests and/or procedures does not seem like the greatest of days.  Imagine watching somebody pick marbles up with their toes or pick cotton balls up with their nose (covered in petroleum jelly).  Now that is funny!  You have heard it said, “Laugher is the Best Medicine”.

By Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

Do you know that March is Child Life Month?

Well, if not, you do now, and as is the tradition of many professional months, we use it as an opportunity for education and advocacy.  This usually means that on top of all of the other great things that the Child Life program at Le Bonheur Children's does, we do that much more.  I should share that this is true not just for us, but for almost all of the other child life programs around the nation (and world).  It is a great reminder for us of the importance of the work we do.

Over the course of this month, we're going to have a variety of different child life specialist write different blog posts.  Our hope is to showcase different aspects of our roles here in the hospital, and we'll just be scratching the surface.  I would encourage you to ask any questions of us you want (just leave a comment), and we'll make sure we answer it.

Now, to start of the month, I thought I would share a link to a poem about the role of child life specialists.  Thanks to the Child Life Council for sharing it, and to Steve Slowinski, a former child life intern at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, for writing it.

Happy Child Life Month!