2 weeks Ago By Ryan McNamara
FARGO — March is Child Life Month, which recognizes child life specialists who help young patients cope with hospital stays through activities and emotional support. At Sanford Medical Center, child life specialists Stephanie Nelson and Katy Easter focus on making the hospital experience less intimidating for children. "Nothing about the hospital is typical for a kid," Nelson said.
"So part of our job, too, is to help patients and families feel a little more normal and a little more comfortable and help normalize the medical environment." Rather than assisting with medical procedures, these specialists provide games, crafts and companionship to young patients, offering them a break from the stress of treatment. "Whether it's kind of bringing in a stuffed animal and getting to know the kid and their family and what their interests are to preparing them for why they're in the hospital," Easter said.
Nelson emphasized that their work is about making the experience less frightening. "I always tell kids, pretty much anything you can think of that you like to do? We probably have something similar to it," she said. Their team also includes Fox, a facility dog who serves as a comforting presence and motivational tool for young patients.
"Just to see kids and families, just their eyes light up when they see him come to the room," Easter said. Nelson added that Fox can encourage patients to take medication, go for walks or simply play. "Being able to see how he can motivate patients to take medications or go for walks or just do normal things like play fetch with a dog," she said.
The specialists also use medical dolls and interactive play to educate children about their treatments, reducing fear and uncertainty. "Using a variety of activities or medical dolls or medical play things like that, I think that's really empowering for children, because there's a lot less fear when kids understand what is going on with their bodies and why we're doing what we're doing in the hospital," Nelson said. Easter and Nelson strive to create positive memories for young patients and their families.
"It's just amazing for the family to then turn around and be like, I had no idea that this even existed in the hospital setting, and what a difference it made," Easter said..
