What is Child Life Services at El Paso Children’s Hospital?

Our team of Child Life Specialists is specially trained and highly experienced in this area. Through a variety of techniques, including guided play therapy, our compassionate, patient-focused providers work to reduce childrens’ stress and anxiety about their illness and treatment while helping minimize the emotional and family disruptions that even a short hospitalization can cause.

Each member of our team holds a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, and has completed a demanding clinical internship that makes them eligible to sit for the national certification exam administered by the Child Life Council (CLC).

The Role of Play in Child Life Services

Child Life Specialists often use guided, therapeutic play — usually referred to as “play therapy” — to help children understand and deal with their fears and anxieties about their condition, the treatments needed to help them recover and being in the hospital away from family and home.
Play serves as a sort of “universal language” that can bridge the gap between the way children and adults communicate and process information, helping reveal the emotions children may be experiencing. These activities provide a relaxed, common ground between a patient and Child Life Specialist, giving children a safe, supportive place to express their feelings.