Child Development Episodes

How do you prepare a child for surgery and build trust with their medical team? This episode explores how families and healthcare providers can work together to support children through procedures like tonsillectomy and other...

This week's guests, perinatal mental health therapists Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel, share the story behind their book Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience—a guided journal created to help families proces...

How do you help a child respond when someone asks about a scar, burn, or limb difference? This week's guest, Abby Horton, opens up about her journey as a Child Life Specialist working across ICU, burn, surgical, rehab, and in...

When your child's life is shaped by medical complexity, childhood can quickly become defined by hospital stays, procedures, and limitations. In today's episode, we explore how medically supported camps transform that narrativ...

"The excitement that the kids feel when they are seeing you... and they know today's session with Ms. Luba and they can't wait to see you." - Luba Kaplan When a child enters the medical system, parents often meet many special...

In this episode, Dr. Allison Mell—pediatric PT and founder of Tots on Target—breaks down how therapy for kids doesn't have to feel overwhelming. She shares real talk about what progress actually looks like, why play is so pow...

Learning to swallow pills can be a major milestone—and a big challenge—for many kids. In this episode, certified child life specialist Adina Levitan joins host Katie Taylor to break down the myths, fears, and best practices b...

"Hope isn't about avoiding the hard truths. It's about staying grounded in them and still believing that something good is possible."- Katie Taylor In this final episode of 2024, Katie dives deep into the meaning of hope, exp...

"Life is always in the mix of joy and grief, and those things coexist. But this is how I'm going to deal with it." - Joanne De Simone In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, Joanne De Simone shares her journey as a...

"As a child life specialist, watching my tiniest patients grow and accomplish so many things is my favorite part of the job." - Julie, Certified Child Life Specialist Episode Summary: In this heartfelt episode of Child Life O...

In this special episode of Child Life On Call, we flip the script as Emily Martinec interviews our very own founder, Katie Taylor. Dive into Katie's journey from child life specialist to tech entrepreneur, exploring the roots...

In this episode about parenting a child with infantile spasms, Katie Taylor, a certified child life specialist, has a profound conversation with Hailey, a resilient mother navigating the complexities of raising a child with a...

I'm his mom, and I carried him for almost nine months, and no one loved him more than me. I'm his expert, and I'm going to own that. - Kathryn Whitaker Have you ever found yourself amazed at the strength people find in the to...

In this episode, our guest James Robinson will share the keys to living life to its fullest, both inside and outside of the hospital, so that you can provide the result of bringing joy and happiness to your child's life, desp...

In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the untold journey of NICU parents, gaining insights and understanding into their unique experiences. Uncover the challenges of medically complex pregnancies, and learn strategie...

Join Katie Taylor in an emotional conversation with Mackenzie Carolin as they discuss the unexpected medical journey she faced with her daughter. Learn how Mackenzie navigated the complexities of her child's healthcare needs ...

Are you a parent of a child with a medical condition? Join me, Katie Taylor, as I chat with Keeley Machen Schares, a Child Life Specialist, in this special episode of Child Life On Call. Keeley takes us through her incredible...

This episode is a repost in honor of Spina Bifida awareness month. Are you a parent of a child with spina bifida who is seeking support and guidance to navigate the challenges of raising your child? Are you looking for increa...

We wanted to repost this epsidoe to highlight that October is Learning Disabilities / Dyslexia / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month. In a world of unexpected twists, sometimes the greatest surprises lie ...

Meet J.R., a parent on a challenging journey. From aggressive behaviors to sensory challenges, she shares her struggles of raising a child with severe special needs. But just when things start to improve, an event occurs whic...

If you're feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and powerless as you try to address your child's unresolved behavioral issues, only to see them persist and worsen, then you are not alone! Despite your best efforts, the actions you...

Attention, parents! Have you ever come across these myths while seeking ways to support your child's emotional well-being during healthcare experiences? Myth #1: Children are too young to understand and process their emotions...

Today's guest on the podcast is Dr. Barbara Hecht, National Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. She shares with us how to support Deaf, Deaf +, and Hard of Hearing stud...

Going to the emergency room with your child for any reason is never an occasion you plan on. Today, Sam Kraewic and Jessica Baird, Child Life Specialists working in the Emergency Room empower and equip us on how to be the bes...