What Makes the Valleywise Health Pediatric Department Different from Other Hospitals?
For most children, a hospital stay is uncomfortable for many reasons. It often means being separated from friends and family, leaving home and changing daily activities and routines. Add to that the stress of feeling sick or being injured and being surrounded by unwell people, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. Not to mention having to endure countless medical procedures, pain and uncertainty.
Members of the pediatric department at Valleywise Health understand these challenges all too well and work diligently to make sure every young patient’s hospital stay is as positive and comfortable as possible.
“One of the things that differentiates Valleywise Health from other hospitals is our ability to treat not just the child but also the parents, siblings, grandparents and other relatives,” said Dr. Jodi Carter, Pediatrics Department Chair. “Doing this really gives us a unique perspective of the role the child plays in a family and helps guide our healing and treatments towards the whole person and whole family.”
During a hospital stay, pediatric patients work with a variety of doctors, nurses and therapists. They also meet crucial team members known as child life specialists. These dedicated caregivers are focused on providing comfort and support for children dealing with serious health issues.
“The child life specialist plays an essential role in our pediatric patients’ health care journey,” Dr. Carter said. “They help us heal our patients physically, emotionally and mentally. Child life specialists are particularly important for young patients who have experienced significant trauma, like a burn injury.”
At Valleywise Health, child life specialists work hard to ensure every child feels comfortable, relaxed and content while at the hospital. It’s important for kids to keep doing things they normally do in their daily routines, which includes play time. According to Dr. Carter, play is important to a child’s hospital experience and healing process because it gives them confidence and a sense of normalcy during their hospital stay.
These specialists work with children of all ages, from newborns to adolescents and young adults, to ensure they have a chance to play in ways that aid healing. This can include developmentally appropriate education, pre-procedural teaching and medical play, emotional and bereavement support, children’s therapy and eventually school reintegration. They also provide relief to overwhelmed and exhausted parents.
One of the unique aspects of child life at Valleywise Health is that the team incorporates parents and caregivers into the young patient’s care and treatment plan in a way that supports holistic results.
“While we don’t provide child life services to adults, I could argue that we should, based on the clinical results we see with the coping and healing process of our pediatric patients,” Dr. Carter added.
For most families, child life specialists are a saving grace and provide much-needed resources for recovery during hospital stays. But none of this could be done without the support of generous donors.
To support the work of Valleywise Health Foundation.
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