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Q & A With Brooke Rose, Child Life Specialist at Stony Brook Hospital

brookeThe Children’s Museum of the East End recently partnered with the Child Life Services Department at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital to offer weekly programming for kids who have been hospitalized or are undergoing treatment. Stony Brook is the only hospital offering dedicated pediatric care in Eastern Long Island.

An integral part of the hospital experience, Child Life Services is dedicated to helping children and their families feel comfortable during inpatient stays and outpatient visits. We recently spoke with Brooke Rose, one of Stony Brook’s Certified Child Life Specialists, about the vital role Child Life Services plays during their hospital visits.

For those unfamiliar, can you provide a little background on what Child Life Services does?

We try to normalize what goes on in the hospital. We make it a more cheerful place for every member of the family. While doctors focus more on the medical aspect, we focus more on the emotional and developmental components.

The field really began to flourish when people started to realize that kids have different needs than adults. The number one difference is play. Adults can watch TV or read a magazine, but children experience the world through play. Kids are able to discover the world and try out things they might not be able to to figure out. It’s how they can express themselves. Something as simple as a coloring book helps with that.

How do you help a child cope with what can be a frightening experience?

I’m on the general pediatric inpatient unit. There’s someone in surgery. There’s someone in radiology. We have someone wherever kids are. We’re able to follow them during the entire hospitalization process and become a source of comfort for the parents and kids.

If a child doesn’t seem to be coping well—let’s say they’re scared of doctors or nurses—one of the first things I do is medical play. I’ll give them a real stethoscope to use on their doll or on their parents. This really helps them express their feelings and fears. Through this type of play you can find what misconceptions they may have and help give them a sense of mastery of their environment.

How important is play in what you do?

It helps everyone in the entire family. That’s why we love being able to tell the kids that the Children’s Museum is coming. It lets us offer our patients another chance to have fun during what can be a scary time for them. And when parents see their kids playing in a playroom and smiling or see something they created, it puts them at ease.

 

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