That’s why Shriners Children’s provides child life specialists and recreational therapists for patients and their families to help reduce the stress associated with health care.
The staff in our child life departments are trained professionals available to help you and your child have a positive experience during hospital stays and clinic visits. As members of your health care team, they work directly with your child to reduce anxiety and stress during medical procedures or hospitalization.
With their knowledge, training and understanding of child development, our teams work with your child – often through play – to help them feel more comfortable, calm and confident while visiting Shriners Children’s for procedures, surgeries and hospital stays.
They help children cope through play, self-expressive activities, and age-appropriate medical preparation and education. A child life specialist can help families in many ways:
Here you can learn more about the child life services we offer and how they are involved in your child's care.
Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.
Without child life, I wouldn't have most of my friends that I have, because a lot of the friends I have are through Shriners camps. At camp, the staff and my friends helped me get to know that I'm not the only one who is like me.
