UC Davis Child Life Program

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• Patient and Family Support 
• Art and Music 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.

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Art and Music Therapy

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

 

Music is a normal part of childhood and familiar songs play an important role in making the hospital feel like a safe place for young children. The daily music group offers a chance to sing and bang on drums, releasing energy and pent-up emotion. It also gives parents, patients and siblings an opportunity to play together as a family. Older kids can take advantage of individual keyboard and guitar lessons offered by the music therapist. Music changes the sterile, alien environment of the hospital to make it normal, familiar and even fun.

• Music Therapy internship flyer
• Music Therapy intern application

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