Patients & Families
For Health Professionals
Child life specialists at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital use developmental, educational and therapeutic interventions and play to help patients and their families cope with illness, injury, treatment and hospitalization. Our team works closely with families and health care staff to support each child’s physical and emotional needs during their medical experience.
Our internationally certified child life specialists provide care and support for newborns to age 21 and strive to reduce fear and stress as much as possible. Through therapy, coping support and play, our specialists provide activities to help patients and their families better understand a diagnosis and manage stressful health care experiences.
Our team provides helpful resources to help both inpatients and outpatients feel more comfortable and prepared during their hospital experience.
Our specially trained child life specialists provide many services to help patients and families understand and cope with hospitalization.
The child life clinical internship program is designed for both undergraduate students at the end of their academic program and graduate students.
Our volunteers play an important role in the experiences of our patients and families. Learn about our opportunities and find the option that is best for you.
We know that you want the best possible care for your child. Our team is happy to provide education, coping support and play opportunities.
We're ready to work with you to explain your options and discuss ways to support your child's physical and emotional needs.
Brittany Bordeaux is the recreation gaming specialist in the Child Life department at Johns Hopkins All Children’s, part of a growing trend of gaming specialists at children’s hospitals. She uses video games and virtual reality to break up the boredom of a hospital stay and motivate patients to think and move.
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For Leah Frohnerath, M.S., CCLS, her own experiences inspired her to pursue a career as a Child Life specialist, and once she arrived at Johns Hopkins All Children’s, she knew the benefit a facility dog could bring to children in the hospital.
Child Life specialists help patients by supporting their mental and emotional well-being while they’re in the hospital. Carli Fischer, M.S., CCLS, works with children in the cardiovascular intensive care unit, and other Child Life specialists work with children in areas throughout the hospital.
Dara Jackson first learned about the Child Life program as a teen volunteer at the hospital. The experience inspired her to pursue it as a career that eventually led her back to Johns Hopkins All Children’s, where she’ll soon celebrate 13 years as a Child Life specialist. She tells us more about her role and how Child Life specialists help ease patients’ anxiety while they’re in the hospital.
Our furriest employee at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital is celebrating a special milestone this week.