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Child Life
 Child Life specialists are specially trained to help children and their families better understand illness, hospitalization and outpatient procedures at Children's Hospital of Illinois. Research has shown that children who know what to expect are better able to cope with the stress of hospitalization. The specialists help decrease stress and anxiety related to procedures, separation from home and family and changes in routines.
The specialists accomplish this through the following activities:
- Pre-operative tours
- Developmental play
- Procedure support
- Medical Play (allows children to interact with medical instruments)
- Special support for patients and siblings
The Child Life specialists also supervise safe, age appropriate, child-friendly activity rooms located on both Pediatric floors and Ambulatory Surgery Unit. Child Life specialists also help patients adjust to school after hospitalization by working collaboratively with school staff and other medical staff to ease the transition. The department is responsible for managing holiday activities for patients, as well as arranging the school, civic and celebrity tours that visit the hospital to meet the children. All pediatric patients at Children's Hospital of Illinois can receive the services of Child Life free of charge.
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