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Who are child life specialists?
Child life specialists are dedicated professionals who focus on supporting children and families in healthcare settings. By utilizing age-appropriate education and coping techniques, they aim to reduce anxiety and medical trauma during medical experiences. Through play and following the child's lead, they identify stressors and tailor strategies to navigate challenges that patients and families may encounter.
These specialists undergo rigorous education in child development, with specialized training on how medical situations can impact a child's development trajectory. Their expertise extends to family-centered care, emphasizing trauma reduction and the cultivation of lifelong coping mechanisms. Completion of a clinical internship and board certification validate their proficiency, which they sustain through ongoing professional development.
What sets child life specialists apart is their versatility in providing support wherever children require assistance. At Colorful Hearts, we advocate for extending child life services beyond healthcare settings, ensuring accessibility for all families in need. Our mission is to assist families comprehensively in processing and managing medical challenges, recognizing that these difficulties persist beyond hospital stays or medical appointments.
Why Child Life Support?
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Child Life Specialists are specifically trained to provide the appropriate language for medical experiences to children. It can be intimidating as a parent to have to share stressful information with your child. Child life specialists know what words to use, what words to avoid and have the medical knowledge to provide explanation that helps kids feel empowered and in control.
Colorful Hearts can work directly with your child to provide this preparation or help provide parent coaching so you can feel empowered providing your child with this information. We can help create personalized preparation plans and connect you with additional resources to help provide the best information for you and your child.
Each session looks different depending on the medical experience, age of the child, coping styles and other factors.
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Children and teens deserve a place to express their thoughts and feelings in a safe place. It can feel impossible to explain an impossible situation to your child when you as the parent are also grieving or trying to process.
Colorful Hearts can work directly with your child to provide this preparation or help provide parent coaching so you can feel empowered providing your child with this information. We can help create personalized preparation plans and connect you with additional resources to help provide the best information for you and your child.
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Children and teens deserve a place to express their thoughts and feelings in a safe place. It can feel impossible to explain an impossible situation to your child when you as the parent are also grieving or trying to process.
Colorful Hearts can work directly with your child to provide this preparation or help provide parent coaching so you can feel empowered providing your child with this information. We can help create personalized preparation plans and connect you with additional resources to help provide the best information for you and your child.
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This may include
new sibling
moving homes or schools
divorce
change in trusted caregiver
Child life specialists are experts are providing preparation for any event that is new and has the potential to add stress to a child’s life. We work with your family to create resources to meet your needs and plan interventions to address positive coping during times of change.
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Education on the topic being addressed (death/dying, diagnosis, medical event)
Preparation on the topic at hand
Assessing for misconceptions and correcting and misinformation by providing education, preparation and discussion
Medical and therapeutic play
Coping Skills
Memory Making
Preparing for new experiences (becoming a new sibling, moving homes, returning to school)
Identifying and processing emotions
Parent coaching on all above interventions
Interventions are not limited to. the child being impacted. Siblings also benefit from child life support and deserve as much support as the child going through a stressful medical experience. Siblings benefit from preparation, education and support as they are also experiencing a variety of changes in the home when their sibling experiences a medical event.
Meet the team!
Katie Grudzinski, MS, CCLS
Katie, a Certified Child Life Specialist, has 7 years of experience. She obtained a degree in Human Development & Family Studies from the University of Illinois before pursuing a Master's Degree in Child Development from Erikson Institute. Katie completed her clinical internship, gaining experiencing in the NICU and Emergency Department at a Level 1 Trauma Center, further solidifying her passion for providing support to children and families during times of high stress.
Katie has worked with non-profits such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, Camp Kids Are Kids Chicago, and Chicago Children's Advocacy Center. As a childhood cancer survivor, Katie is passionate about supporting families facing a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, Katie enjoys helping children overcome common medical anxieties, such as routine doctor’s visits, vaccinations and blood draws.
Stephanie Lipira, MS, CCLS
Steph, a Certified Child Life Specialist, has 7 years of experience working in general pediatrics, the pediatric intensive care unit, and with children of adult patients. Steph’s main experience is working in a pediatric emergency room. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Applied Human Development & Family Sciences, with concentrations in Child Development and Child Life at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Steph is currently working on her PhD in Health Sciences with a Certificate in Trauma Informed Counseling, while also teaching undergraduate courses and mentoring students at NIU. Steph has also worked with children and families in grief support camps and child development centers. Steph has a passion for trauma informed care, family-centered care and mentoring child life students.
Additional Consultants
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Lauren Schuler
Lauren, a Certified Child Life Specialist, has over 25 years of experience. She obtained a degree in Child Life Education from Edgewood College in Madison, WI. Lauren has almost 20 years of experience working at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in both inpatient and outpatient units. She worked extensively in the Surgical Services Unit and also provided pre-surgery tours to patients and families. Lauren has a published research article in the Child Life Focus Bulletin and the International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy. Lauren enjoys engaging patients in educational play utilizing real medical equipment to increase their level of understanding while also teaching coping and pain management techniques.
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