Child Life

Phoenix Children's Hospital Child Life Program

The Child Life Program at Phoenix Children's Hospital helps patients and families cope with fear, anxiety, and separation from home and school during their hospital stay.  Child Life can help when: your child needs help understanding the hospital, your child is worried about a test or procedure, a brother or sister is upset about a sibling's hospitalization, you're looking for play and activity ideas, you need information about your child's development, or you need help with child-friendly explanations of hospital experiences.

Child Life Services

This article from PEDIATRICS discusses the services provided by Child Life programs and how Child Life Specialist work to promote development, present information, plan and rehearse coping strategies with child and encourage communication.

The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds

This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure that play is protected as they seek the balance in children's lives to create the optimal developmental milieu.

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