Child life

Painful medical procedures are difficult to cope with. As a Certified Child Life Specialist, my role is to prepare children for new experiences while providing a coping plan. I had the opportunity to support my own son for a routine blood test this week. He was quite nervous when his pediatrician mentioned it and I […]

From problem-solving to creativity, play allows kids to develop important skills they will continue to use throughout their life. Play varies at each age and can be broken down into these 6 stages of play. #playtime #kidsplay #playmatters #toddlers #toddlerplay #childdevelopment #toddlerdevelopment #playskills #pretendplay #playislearning #toddlerplay #childdevelopment #toddlerdevelopment #playislearning #stagesofplay #6stagesofplay Copyright © 2021 Pathways Foundation

Cleveland's child poverty rate is among the worst in the nation. And conditions aren't much better for adults.

Child life specialists use medical play to help children “play” out their feelings or anxieties or learn about an medical procedure.

Check out these other blogs written by Child Life Specialists and students on their way to becoming Child Life Specialists! If you have a Child Life Blog, let me know and I’ll add it to the l…

What is a child life specialist? So glad you asked! It’s a question that everyone interested in improving kids’ medical experiences should be asking.

Making friends is an important life skill -- here are simple ways to help teach your child about being a good friend.

I remember feeling nervous a lot during my practicum and internship because I feared not knowing exactly what to do in any given situation – what if I prep a 6-year-old for a CT Scan and they…

So you’re the sibling to someone with special needs. I bet it’s not easy being you. You’re just a kid yourself trying to figure out where you belong in this great, big world. But I know you’re destined for greatness. I know this because you are being taught the greatest lessons in life every single day without even knowing it. I know there are times when you might think it’s not fair. Maybe it seems like you’re the kid and a third parent. Maybe you feel like your sibling gets all the…

March is Child Life Month, a month where hospitals around the world have the opportunity to celebrate child life specialists and the Child Life profession through education and raising awareness. Here are 10 ways you can kickstart your Child Life Month celebrations!