Isaac Haberman was just 3 years old when he received his first infusion at Sanford Children’s Hospital for the treatment of Pompe disease.
It could have been a frightening and overwhelming experience for Isaac and his parents, Meg and Christopher. But thanks to Child Life, a donor-funded program that brings pediatric patients and their families comfort and reassurance through education and therapeutic play, Isaac’s first infusion — and every one since — felt less scary.
“Wendy, our Child Life specialist, really helped us at the beginning,” Christopher said. “Getting poked with a needle hurts and it’s scary, and the IV placement was a really difficult thing for Isaac. So, Wendy prepared a kit for us to take home so we could practice each of the steps with a fake needle. It helped take away the fear and helped it become more routine thing.”
| LEARN MORE: The role of a Child Life specialist at Sanford Children’s.
Support for Kids and Families When it Matters Most
A child’s unexpected diagnosis or injury can turn a family’s life upside down. Emergency care, diagnostic tests, surgery or treatment can leave kids feeling scared and anxious, while parents and loved ones may feel helpless and overwhelmed.
Child Life makes an unplanned pediatric health care journey easier for local families by providing emotional support that reduces stress, improves outcomes and helps kids get better, faster. (Wendy, Child Life specialist, and Isaac are pictured to the right.)
Offered at no cost to families thanks to the generosity of local donors, our Child Life program works collaboratively across departments and specialties to:
- Ease kids’ fears and anxieties through education, therapeutic play, expression and other activities such as music and art therapy
- Create personalized care plans based on each child’s needs
- Prepare kids for, and support them during procedures
- Offer family-centered care, including support for parents and siblings
Helping Kids Feel Like Kids
Beyond offering comfort and support, Stephanie Nelson, a Child Life specialist at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Fargo, says Child Life gives pediatric patients what they want more than anything — the chance to feel like kids again.
“Play is a kid’s language — it’s how they learn, it’s how they grow, it’s how they release stress. So any opportunity we have to let kids be kids and play in the hospital, I always take advantage of that,” Nelson said.
Paula Erck, a Child Life specialist at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, agreed.
Paula uses pretend play to help ease kids’ fears and anxieties, and to help them process their emotions. For a recent pediatric oncology patient, the exercises made all the difference.
“
[Our patient] was terrified of any and all medical equipment, especially syringes. So we did a lot of different fun, therapeutic play activities with her. We got syringes, put water in them and had a squirt gun fight. We also put paint in them and put canvases up so she could shoot paint at them. She was just really able to express herself. It familiarized her with the syringes we utilize during our procedures and now she’s an absolute rock star at them.
Child Life specialist, Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls
Immersive Experiences
Child Life teams also use leading-edge technology to make medical experiences easier for kids.
Jana Heen, a Child Life specialist at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Bismarck, uses Kind VR headsets to help pediatric patients prepare for procedures.
“We can prepare kids for what it’s going to be like — the sensations they’re going to feel, the people they’re going to interact with. We can break everything down to make it easier for them,” she said.
The headsets, made possible through philanthropy, are specifically designed to walk a pediatric patient through a health care experience, giving kids a realistic sense of what to expect before their procedure begins. The headsets also included timed scenarios that can serve as fun, interactive distractions for kids during procedures.
“They can go on a safari, they can float through an underwater world,” Jana said.
A Paw-some Partner
Katy Easter, a Child Life specialist in Fargo, uses a special fury friend to connect with pediatric patients of all ages. Fox, the NutriSource Facility Dog at Sanford Children’s Hospital, brings comfort to everyone he meets — from toddlers to teenagers. (Fox, the facility dog, is pictured to the left.)
“It’s been my favorite to be able to have a deeper connection with our teenage population and to just really be that support person for them when they’re coming to the hospital when, a lot of times, they’re not necessarily sharing what they’re all feeling.”
“When I bring Fox in, they open up and they tell me about their experience and what’s been going on and the things they’re stressed about,” she said.
Give for Children. Give for Good.
Every year, thousands of local kids turn to Sanford Children’s for extra or unexpected care. With your support, we can continue to surround each child with everything they need to get better, faster, close to home.
100% of every dollar is maximized to its fullest potential — to help local kids reach theirs. Gifts support priorities like:
- Child Life, the school program, spiritual care and other services that are never billed to patients’ families
- Financial assistance to help families with the costs of meals, lodging and travel while their child is in the hospital
- Lifesaving pediatric equipment like ventilators, oscillators, ultrasound machines, Giraffe OmniBeds for NICU infants and more
- And so much more!