Child Life Specialist
If you love working with children and have an interest in health care, the career of child life specialist may appeal to you! Staying in the hospital can be a frightening prospect for kids, and the goal of a child life specialist is to help make a child’s hospitalization a positive growth experience.
What they do:
Child life specialists focus on the emotional and developmental needs of children undergoing medical care and treatment. To do this, they may use play therapy, educational activities, and art projects. They explain upcoming procedures and surgeries and act as an advocate for the child and his/her parents.
Where they work:
Child life specialists are members of the health care team in hospitals, physicians’ practices, and other organizations that provide medical services. Most work for hospitals, where they spend time at patients’ bedsides, in playrooms, and in admissions offices.
For more information:
Careers in Health Care by Barbara M. Swanson. 2005. Available in the CEC library.