Support Resources Episodes

In a world turned upside down by the pandemic, one Child Life Specialist found herself on a journey she never could have anticipated. But little did she know, a twist of fate was about to lead her down an unexpected path. This story is the catalyst for a groundbreaking virtual Child Life Specialist program. Stay tuned to discover how her resilience and determination transformed the healthcare experience for children and their families, forever changing the landscape of pediatric care. In this e...

[ Child Life 101] How to Prepare Children for Medical Procedures Does this sound familiar? You try to prepare children for medical procedures, but no matter what you do, they still end up feeling stressed and anxious. You've been told to simply explain the procedure to them, but it's not working. The pain of seeing children scared and overwhelmed during medical experiences is heart-wrenching, and you're desperate to find a better way to help them feel informed and equipped. Watch This Episode ...

Do you want to feel empowered and confident in advocating for your child's healthcare needs? Are you searching for a solution that will help you effectively speak up for your child in healthcare settings? In this episode, I will be sharing the key to unlocking your advocacy potential, enabling you to achieve the outcome you desire - ensuring the best possible care for your child. By exploring the role of child life specialists, together we will explore how child life provides you with the knowl...

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 best advocates when it comes to the Emergency Room. From medical play to normalizing the hospital at home there are many ways parents can plan for the unexpcted. Katie, Jessic and Sam have great conversation surrounding Child LIfe in the Emergency Room. [3:30] Introductions [...

"What we can do as parents and professionals is look past the behavior." Helping Hands: Resources for Parents Supporting Siblings in Healthcare Situations I remember the first time I saw the impact of a sibling's illness on a family. It was heart-wrenching to watch as the older sibling hesitantly chose a toy to play with in the hospital playroom. As a Child Life On Call specialist, I've learned valuable strategies to support siblings in healthcare situations. But what surprised me was the posi...

So happy to share this "child life insight" with parents and professionals, but first let's answer the question: What are child life specialists? Child life specialists are trained professionals who provide emotional support and guidance to children and families facing challenging life experiences. They are experts in helping children cope with difficult topics and ensure that children's development is as smooth as possible while going through challenging times. In this episode, we talk about h...

April is Child Abuse awareness month. We have reposted this episode to bring awareness and give you tangible tools to speak with your kids about child abuse. Today's guest expert is my mother, Jane Donovan, who is a child abuse advocate. She is here to provide tangible ways to make this concept less scary and to empower kids and parents. We want to leave you feeling confident about how to teach kids about child abuse. In this episode, we talk about… [3:50] Jane's background and her passion for...

podcast, Katie interviews Crystal Polk, a Social Worker and Licensed Therapist speaks about the dual role parents of medically complex children hold as caregiver and parent. Crystal specializes in working with families who have children with special or medical needs. She gives parents practical things they can do today to start on the path of healing. [3:30] Crystal introduces herself [6:00] Identifying the differences between caregiving and parenting [8:30] Acknowledging the stages of grief ...

On this episode of the podcast, Lenora from BetterSpeech shares about virtual speech language pathology services and how they can be beneficial for not just the child but for the family. Lenora explains how making a connection with the child positively impacts the progress of speech therapy. This episode is informative of what a virtual session would look like and provides valuable insight to parents seeking out virtual therapy services. [2:50] Lenora introudces herself [3:59] How she got star...

On today's episode, Katie shares with our listeners how Grandparents can support their kids and grandkids during an illness or diagnosis. During the holidays with lots of family time, this topic came to mind. Grandparents are an integral part of the family, whether they live near or far. This episode gives practical ways Grandparents can support their kids and grandkids. [1:58] Hard conversations during the holidays [2:17] How can Grandparents give support [4:05] When your child is hurting. y...

On today's episode of the podcast, Ashley + Martha from Dear NICU Mama share their personal stories of trials and joy as they navigated difficult seasons as NICU moms themselves. You will feel right at home with the wit and charm Martha and Ashley bring to this episode. You learn why and how these amazing women created the Dear NICU Mama community all while giving us bits of wisdom, laughter and empowerment along the way. **Trigger Warning**: This episode talks about infant loss. If your heart ...

On today's episode of the podcast, Emily Lemke shares how to stay organized as a medical parent. Emily's expertise comes from being a medical parent herself and a clinical social worker. She shares about her own journey navigating the world of being a medical parent and the passion behind creating The Medical Mama Compass. You will learn how to manage everything that comes with this title without becoming overwhelmed. [1:52] Introducing her family [2:38] Nora's premature birth and 97 day NICU ...

This episode originally aired in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. This topic is so important and rightfully so, it is our 2nd most downloaded episode of all time. When it comes to COVID-19, how we inform our children is incredibly important. If you're wondering how we can talk to our kids about COVID-19 when we as adults still don't know exactly what's happening, you're not alone. This episode covers suggestions for age-appropriate language to use as well as general considerations to...

Episode 126 | Supporting Children in Hospice On this week's episode, Shani Thornton, CCLS, from Child Life Mommy shares how to support children in hospice. Shani wears many different hats in the Child Life world including supporting children in the hospice setting .Shani shares how to connect with children during this difficult time and ways to explain things that are honest and easy to understand. To help children feel more connected during this challenging time she shares some of the meaningf...

Friends, you are not going to want to miss this episode! On today's episode of the podcast,we hear about Laura's Birth story and the beginning of her son Trey's journey with congenital Leukemia. Laura shares the raw emotion and grief when she and her husband learn of Trey's diagnosis. She goes intimately into detail about her first time seeing her newborn son, how it broke her to her core and how she began to pick up the pieces. Laura shares how her friends rallied behind her during this extreme...

I'm bringing you a quick episode about a commonly asked question. This topic also happens to be one of our most downloaded resources on the website (in case you didn't know, you can get free downloadable resources here!) We're talking about how to get your kids to take medicine - liquid, pills, eye drops, and more. In this episode, I talk about… [1:37] Helping ourselves to help our children [2:12] Helping children to understand the need for medicine [3:02] Step 1: Setting expectations [3:34] Ste...

When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels! Links and Resources: SupportSpot Website Download SupportSpot iOS or Android 85% of users report high satisfaction, appreciating the SupportSpot app's comprehensive resources and user-friendly interface. 92% of parent users say the SupportSpot app's helped them understand medical procedures and treatment better. 80% of parents believe the SupportSpot app's has contributed to better health outcomes for their chil...

Today's guest expert is my mother, Jane Donovan, who is a child abuse advocate. She is here to provide tangible ways to make this concept less scary and to empower kids and parents. We want to leave you feeling confident about how to teach kids about child abuse. In this episode, we talk about… [3:50] Jane's background and her passion for advocacy [8:48] Using puppets to talk to kids about child abuse [15:04] Good touches versus confusing touches [15:54] Empowering children to tell an adult abou...

March is Child Life month, and I wanted to feature some amazing organizations that are doing so much to support children and families in crisis. A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to interview an expert in the field of Child Life about the impact of disasters on children and families (episode 105). Child Life Disaster Relief is an organization that empowers and supports children and families in crisis by integrating Child Life professional services into disaster-impacted communities. Learn ...

March is Child Life month, and I wanted to feature some amazing organizations that are doing so much to support children and families in crisis. A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to interview an expert in the field of Child Life about the impact of disasters on children and families (episode 105). Child Life Disaster Relief is an organization that empowers and supports children and families in crisis by integrating Child Life professional services into disaster-impacted communities. Learn ...

Today I am introducing you to Dr. Jin Lee, a licensed clinical psychologist with experience working in hospitals. She now has her own private practice, and she specializes with teens who have functional neurological or post-concussion disorders. You will hear some great information and feedback from Dr. Lee about how to support teens through chronic pain. In this episode, we talk about… [1:54] Dr. Jin Lee's background [2:51] Working with children and teens with chronic illness [5:57] How Dr. Lee...

Julie May has been a child life specialist for almost 20 years. She is here today to talk with us about how to talk to and support kids who have an adult in their lives who has an illness. Julie talks about what Wonders and Worries does, and what is accessible for families today. You can get support anywhere in the United States completely for free! You won't want to miss this episode, because Julie also shares how to read cues based on a child's development, how to know if you have taken the co...

Today's 12 minute talk became a 20+ minute talk, and Cara Smith and I discussed how parents can connect with their children after a disaster. Cara is an amazing pioneer in the child life field, and she has valuable tips both for child life specialists as well as for parents in the wake of a natural disaster, a pandemic, or any other stressful event. In this episode, we talk about… [1:41] Cara's background [4:18] Burnout as a child life specialist [6:44] Cara's experience working with children in...

Meet the author, Priscilla Morgan. She gives us exactly what we need to know to start a gratitude journal with kids, without making it a chore. She teaches us how to find the emotional connection with gratitude to make it meaningful, as well as the power of what gratitude can do now and in the future. Gratitude Journal for Kids by Priscilla Morgan is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. In this episode, we talk about… [1:00] Priscilla's background [2:45] Helping children navigate the journe...