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What is Child Life?
The Children's Hospital at Navicent Health provides a child life team of trained professionals who work with patients and families to help reduce the stress and anxiety that can be associated with being in the hospital. The child life team works to meet the developmental, psychological, educational, and emotional needs of patients and their families. Services that Child Life provides for patients and their families include:
Trained with an understanding of normal human development and the impact of hospitalization, child life specialists provide services to specific populations or groups of patients/families based on the Child Life Council's Professional Standards of Clinical Practice (CLC, revised 2001). Many of our child life specialists are also professionally certified and affiliated with the national Child Life Council.
How Children Cope Through Play?
The child life staff encourage play time. Children of all ages learn about their world, and how to cope with new experiences by playing. Through play, children can express their feelings and gain a sense of control. Toys can serve as children's words and play as their language. Reading stories, painting pictures and participating in medical play - before, during and after procedures and hospitalization - are some ways children learn about and cope with their healthcare experiences. Watching your child play and talking to your child about his or her play, may help you understand concerns, fears and fantasies related to their healthcare experience.
Activity Room Usage
Activity Rooms are shared by children, teens, young adults and parents, and are open during the day for relaxing or taking a break from the hospital routine. Because the activity rooms are places for children to temporarily escape the stress of the hospital, all medical examinations or other procedures are prohibited in these areas.
Child life specialist and Children's Hospital Navicent Health volunteers provide developmental play, games, computers, art projects, music and other creative and educational activities at scheduled times in the activity rooms. Patients must be supervised by a parent, staff person or volunteer while in the activity rooms. Parents and visitors are welcome to participate in activities. (Bedside activities are provided for children who cannot go to the playroom.)
Helping Our Patients
You can help our patients by donating new toys, games, and other supplies. You can also donate cash and gift cards for The Children's Hospital to purchase items most needed for our current patients. Please see our wish list for donations.
The Children's Hospital's Wish List
You can help our patients by donating new toys, games, and other supplies. The items on our wish list are the most appropriate and entertaining for children while they are hospitalized of all ages.
Please note: In the hospital, infection is always a risk. In order to protect our patients, all toys, stuffed animals, and donated items must be new. Also, due to patient confidentiality and infection control, all groups wishing to deliver items must contact Child Life Service at 478-633-6539. Please review our patient donation and visitor guidelines for more information.
How to contact Child Life Services:
Child Life Services
777 Hemlock Street
MSC 38
Macon, GA 31201
478-633-6539
If you are interested in a Child Life Internship. Please contact Child Life at 478-633-1276 and refer to the following information.
Internship Application
Application Packet for Child Life Internship