The Child Life program at American Family Children's Hospital helps children, adolescents and families maintain normal living patterns and minimize fears and anxieties during hospitalization.

 

The program benefits patients from newborns through teens. Our trained professionals have backgrounds in child life, child development, therapeutic recreation and psychology.

 

Our goal is to promote positive experiences for your child and to help him or her continue to grow throughout the hospital experience.

 

• Use play to promote a positive hospital experience
• Provide a variety of programs to help our patients cope with hospitalization, illness, diagnosis and treatment
• Respond to children's unique needs by maintaining developmental and normal living patterns to minimize anxieties and maximize coping
• Support the child's and family's emotional and psychosocial needs through activities

 

You are invited to participate in our playroom and daily scheduled activities. A calendar is posted outside the playroom. If your child is unable to participate in the playroom, staff can offer suggestions for diversion and activities in your child’s room.

 

 

 

Our three play areas are designed with the child's developmental needs in mind. They include the infant-toddler playrooms, a school-age/adolescent playroom and a teen lounge, which provides a gathering place for older children. Read more about Child Life Playrooms and Teen Lounges

 

 

Facilitated by Child Life specialists, these groups represent American Family Children's Hospital present and former patients, ages eight to 18.

 

Offering suggestions to help make the hospital more child-friendly and to focus on ways to improve the health care of all children are goals of both advisory boards.

 

The TAB provided the idea for an interactive program in which UW Health teen patients talk about their experiences, offer advice and generally help other teens prepare for surgery. Read more about Advisory Boards: Asking for Kids' Contributions

 

 

This weekly program brings together the brothers and sisters ages 6 to 12 years of hospitalized children to talk about the hospital and engage in fun projects, including art therapy.

 

 

This special program allows a parent/guardian to be with a child when he or she is given inhalation anesthesia and join the child after surgery in the recovery area.

 

 

The pet therapy program, known as Pet Pals, is held every Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon. This program is coordinated with the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and American Family Children's Hospital.

 

 

Child Life specialists are available when your child has to undergo a medical procedure. The Child Life specialists offer suggestions and support to help your child cope with procedures.

 

 

 

Child Life specialists provide opportunities for your child to have hands-on experience with medical equipment. Through exploration and play, children learn about the hospital in a non-threatening way.

 

 

The Child Life staff provides the American Family Children's Hospital with a full-time specialist who attends to the needs of children brought to the ED. Read more about Child Life Services in the Emergency Department.

 

 

Having a hospitalized child can be stressful enough without wondering how your other children will occupy their time. To help make life a little easier during a difficult time, Tyler's Place offers sibling care for inpatients' siblings ages 3-12, Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday from 9:30am-1pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30pm-5pm so parents can focus on their hospitalized child. For more information, please call Tyler's Place (608) 890-8037 for arrangements. More about Tyler's Place

 

 

Child Life specialists can assist hospitalized children's transition to school after a lengthy hospitalization, or when diagnosed with a chronic condition. Child Life specialists collaborate with patients, teachers, social workers, health psychology specialists and others to help make the hospitalized child's adjustment to school successful and to help them understand the many issues surrounding a child's illness and health.

 

 

Visits by local celebrities and special guests/visitors are scheduled and coordinated through the Child Life program.