Here in Cincinnati, when we think of the month of March, we think of the first day of Spring, St. Patrick’s Day, the Reds’ Opening Day Parade, Spring Break, Daylight Savings Time, etc. It’s easy to overlook that it’s also “Child Life Month.” All around the country, hospitals honor their Child Life Specialists during the month of March.
“It is fulfilling to see children who may come to Radiology anxious or scared but learn ways to cope through difficult procedures and gain confidence. I feel grateful to witness such bravery and courage every day. Although it is my job as a Child Life Specialist to help others, I never leave a day of work without gaining perspective or learning something new from coworkers, patients and families.” -Emily Carlton, Child Life Specialist I
In our Cincinnati Children’s Radiology Department, we have three great Child Life Specialists: Catherine Leopard, Chelsey Koehn and Emily Carlton. This awesome group helps to comfort our pediatric patients and parents. They always enter the room with a smile, each hand holding an iPad or age appropriate toy. They help educate children and parents to understand the medical procedure that they’re about to go through, working to relieve any stress or anxiety. Child Life Specialists are the ones that hold your child’s hands before, during and after the procedure. The well-being of the pediatric patient is their number one priority. To learn more about our Child Life Specialists, visit our past post, “A Look Inside: Child Life Specialists in the Radiology Department”.
To our great Child Life Specialist Team, Happy Child Life Month!
Glenn Miñano is a media specialist in the Department of Radiology, providing graphic design, photography, printing, video services, and administration of the department’s online properties. His works have been published in several medical articles, such as the American Journal of Radiology and the American Institute of Ultrasound. He has been providing these services to the Radiology Department since 1996.
