A trip to one of our Tufts Medicine hospitals doesn’t have to be stressful for you or your child. We have certified child life specialists that help support your entire family and minimize any anxiety you all might have.
The prescription for a positive hospital experience
Positivity can make all the difference when your child needs to visit the emergency department, has an operation or stays overnight at the hospital. Our child life specialists are the prescription for a better hospital experience. They are here to answer any questions and calm nerves by:
- Preparing your child for medical procedures by providing developmentally appropriate explanations and hands-on exploration of medical equipment.
- Create individualized coping plans for your child undergoing medical tests and procedures to decrease stress and promote positive coping skills.
- Providing your family support to help minimize stress and promote positive adjustment to the hospital environment.
- Providing developmentally appropriate education and language to promote coping through difficult experiences like trauma, grief and loss.
- Normalizing the hospital environment by providing opportunities for play and special events.
- Promoting cognitive and social-emotional development through individualized play activities.
Find a doctor near me
Treatments
In the emergency department
The child life specialists in the emergency department use various preparation kits to help educate kids, persons with special needs and their families about their visits. They use various toys, movies and music to provide a calming influence in the emergency department.
Preparing for surgery
We provide simple explanations to prepare your child for their surgery. Your child might enjoy using our toy doctor kit and practice the anesthesia mask on a doll provided. We also have videos, toys, and games ready to support and help relax your child.
During a hospital stay
If your child stays overnight at the hospital, we offer support during treatments, tests and procedures. We provide them with play, crafts, music and other distractions based on what they enjoy. We provide a variety of support for your child - just let us know what you need to improve your child's stay.
Our locations
From regular office visits to inpatient stays, find the healthcare you need and deserve close to home.
