Final answer:
Child life specialists are healthcare professionals who provide emotional support, therapeutic play, and education to children facing medical procedures. They help children and families cope with the stress of hospitalization and illness, tailoring interventions to individual needs. They sometimes face conflicts between the immediate medical needs of a child and their need for emotional support.
Step-by-step explanation:
Responsibilities of a Child Life Specialist
Child life specialists are professionals who support children and their families during medical procedures and hospitalizations. They are tasked with providing emotional support, therapeutic play, and education to reduce fear and anxiety associated with healthcare experiences. One of the core responsibilities of a child life specialist is to tailor interventions to meet the individual needs of each child, helping them to cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, or disability.
Example Situation for a Child Life Specialist
For instance, a child life specialist may be needed in a case where a young child is scheduled for a major surgery. The child life specialist would first meet with the child to assess their understanding and feelings about the surgery. They would then utilize play therapy and age-appropriate education to help the child understand what to expect, thereby preparing them emotionally and cognitively for the procedure. They might also support the family, offering guidance on how to comfort and reassure their child.
A situation that could highlight a conflict between responsibilities might involve a child who is in need of an urgent medical procedure, but is refusing to cooperate due to fear and a lack of understanding. The child life specialist must balance the immediacy of the child's medical needs with the equally important need to ensure the child's emotional well-being, sometimes under very challenging conditions.