March is Child Life Month, a time to recognize the critical work of Child Life Specialists who help kids and families during hospital stays. Being in the hospital can feel scary, but Child Life Specialists make the experience easier by offering support, play, and education to help children understand what’s happening.
What is the Child Life Program?
Renown's Child Life Program is here to help kids feel comfortable and supported. Our team includes Certified Child Life Specialists and assistants who know how to talk to kids about medical care in a way that makes sense, helping them feel less nervous about treatments and offer fun activities to make the hospital feel more like home.
How Child Life Specialists Help
Child Life Specialists do so much for kids and their families, including:
✔ Helping kids feel less scared about medical treatments
✔ Teaching children and parents what to expect in the hospital
✔ Using play, art, and music therapy to keep kids engaged
✔ Providing pet therapy to bring comfort and smiles
✔ Helping families cope with stress, grief, or tough times
✔ Creating fun activities in the playroom and at the bedside
How You Can Help
Our Child Life Program relies on donations to provide supplies and happy experiences for children in the hospital. If you’d like to help, consider donating to support young patients during their stay.
This Child Life Month, we thank our Child Life Specialists for their dedication to making healthcare experiences less scary and more comfortable for kids and families.
This summer, as you enjoy the warmer temperatures with your windows open, you can help protect your children by using window precautions and best practices. We spoke with Jorge Montano-Figueroa, Pediatric Injury Prevention Specialist at Renown Children’s Hospital, to gather tips and best practices for window safety, including conversation starters to help prevent window falls.
With the dangerous heat wave impacting our region, there are heightened risks of heatstroke, especially for children who cannot regulate their body temperature as efficiently as adults. Infants are particularly vulnerable and may not express discomfort, so never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
Degrees of Dedication: Laci's Story of Career Growth at Renown
When Laci Castleman joined Renown Health in 2014 as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), she could have never imagined how far her career journey would take her. Through Renown’s education benefits, Laci took advantage of tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment to advance her skills, not just by one degree, but three degrees—leading to a unique hybrid role she enjoys today.
