UC Davis Child Life Program

 ON THIS PAGE

• Patient and Family Support 
• Art Therapy 

The mission of the Child Life Program is to provide a positive environment for the child, one in which they can grow and develop while receiving medical care.  Our goal is to minimize the stress and anxiety of hospitalization and to strengthen the coping skills of the hospitalized child. The department utilizes play, music, art and education to help the children cope with their varying health care experiences.

Patient and Family Support

Child life specialists, music therapists and art therapists are trained to offer developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for children and their families under stress. A child life specialist can meet with the family to provide information, support, and guidance. They may explain medical procedures and surgery to children using medical play puppets and medical equipment and then accompanying the children to medical procedures and/or surgery in order to provide explanation, reassurance, and emotional support.

The child life staff also provides support to siblings to help with understanding of the hospital environment, coping and visitation as well as providing special events to all to help normalize the hospital environment.

 back to top 

Art Therapy

The art therapist utilize the creative arts to assist healing by offering tools for self-expression while the children cope with symptoms, stress, or traumatic experiences.

Art therapy in the pediatric setting helps children to cope with the hospital experience. It allows them to take an active part in their own healing. Art therapy places the value on art making as a tool for insight and discovery. Making art does not require words to express feelings. It engages the right side of the brain, the part of the brain responsible for intuitive, creative and imaginative impulses. Developmentally, this works well for children because art making reveals their internal experience in a safe, secure way.

During individual sessions and the daily art group, children engage in a wide variety of mediums and techniques which are developmentally appropriate, enjoyable and open to the entire family, thus allowing families a place to participate in normal activities.

 back to top