Child Life Specialist
I have worked as a Child Life Specialist for almost 5 years now at Children’s Mercy. Every day I consider it one of life’s greatest honors to serve patient’s and families in some of their darkest days. A Child Life Specialists has several different jobs, but I am going to focus on 2 of the jobs of a CLS.
- Providing Choices
A child that comes to the hospital, loses majority of their control, for many reasons. Children in the hospital setting, are often being told what they have to do. As a CLS, we allow children to have choices.
- “Do you want to count before the poke?”
- “Do you want to watch the iPad or look at this book?”
- “Do you want to play a video game or work on this art activity?”
These are just a few examples of choices that a CLS is providing to patients. Giving them control helps them positively cope with the hospital environment and anything we can do to help them cope better improves their outcomes.
2. Giving Control
Loss of control is something children in the hospital environment experience often. Their entire entire world has been rocked, changed and they have lost control. In the hospital, they are constantly being told when to do what. They are told who can and come visit them. They are told you HAVE to do this procedure, have this surgery, or start this treatment–all to help you feel better. I can’t count on my hands the times that a child has said…”But, I don’t want to have that surgery if I have to get medicine that puts me to sleep; I don’t want to get this needle, my stomach doesn’t hurt anymore.” I could give so many more examples. The hospital environment often takes away childhood from many children.
COVID-19
I am a social person and I love going to work every day, it’s an important part of who I am. It fills my cup, it allows me to serve these kids who my whole heart. Just like the hospital environment takes away a child’s control and choices, COVID-19 has done just the same for us as adults (and children who have not ever has to be hospitalized). COVID-19 literally is dictating how we live our lives; this is what the hospitalized (chronic and acute) child experiences EVERYDAY!
We are getting a glimpse into what their world looks like.
We are being told what and when we can do it. Choices have been removed from our daily lives–all for the good, right? We have lost choices and control to better the safety and wellness of humanity. This is exactly what the hospital child is experiencing–their choices are taken away in order to better their safety and wellness.
I am in no way trying to compare COVID-19 to that of a child in the hospital setting, but it is something that has truly been on my mind and heart. As someone who serves the hospital child, I want people to truly understand what the hospital child experiences–especially those with a chronic illness.
COVID-19 has drastically changed how we function. This is what some children experience daily. Let’s not even add on the fear and anxiety that comes with the unknown of COVID-19 to the child with a chronic illness. I could write a whole blog post on this.
I am not writing this to make you feel guilty, I am simply writing it to open your eyes to what happens everyday in a children’s hospital. I am simply writing this to speak for the children who can’t or aren’t comfortable sharing their stores.
Stay Safe & Healthy, my friends.
Amanda
Love What Is True 