Child Life

Child Life Specialists at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital focus on meeting the emotional and developmental needs of children who are in a health care setting.

Contact our Child Life Program

For a child, the excessive anxiety and stress related to illness, separation from family during hospitalization, and medical encounters can be emotionally damaging and interfere with the child's response to medical treatment and care. Major interruptions in a child's life can invite dependency and erode self-esteem and may jeopardize the child's growth and development.

Child Life Program Goals

Children and adolescents are human beings with feelings, rights and special needs. We treat the total child and family, while respecting each as an individual. Our program goals include:

Minimizing stress to promote optimal response to medical treatment and care.
Promoting a sense of mastery and understanding of medical experiences.
Providing opportunities for building independent behavior and retaining self-esteem.
Providing for continuation of normal daily activities so as not to interfere with appropriate growth and development.
Offering therapeutic activities and opportunities for creativity and self-expression.
Providing supportive relationships for patients and families.
Facilitating communication between medical personnel, the patient and the family.

Services Provided by Child Life Staff

The Child Life program provides services to all pediatric patients and their family members throughout the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital as well as outpatients seen in the pediatric specialty clinic. A non-threatening playroom environment enables children to continue normal social interactions and participate in activities designed to encourage developmentally appropriate play and expression of feelings.

Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers

Child Life’s focus includes time spent:

Nurturing
Responding to physical needs
Overcoming fear of separation
Encouraging normal development through play

Siblings and adult caregivers with:

Child Life provides them with:

Education on how to continue to nurture and play with the child throughout their illness
Peer support groups
Grief and bereavement support
Materials for diversion and comfort

School-age and adolescent patients

Will receive a wide variety of services to meet their unique needs including:

Preparing for, and support during, medical procedures
Medical play
Group and one-on-one activities including art, crafts, cooking, and games
Celebrations of important life events
Gymnasium and game room activities
Social support
Returning to school programs

Child Life Videos

From the kids at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital to all of our friends and supporters: Thank you.

Child Life Wish List

This wish list was created by the Child Life Program with specific items to bring joy to patients at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Items have been carefully selected for each age group. These items will be given to patients to promote normalcy, socialization, and expression.

Look at the items that will benefit our pediatric patients at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital