Child Life Program
Child Life Program at Golisano Children's Hospital
Medical care can be overwhelming and stressful for children. At Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Vermont Health, we want to help ease your child’s fears so they can have the best care experience possible. Through our Child Life Program, we offer your family support as you navigate our health system.
Child Life specialists are children’s ambassadors. They assist, educate and advocate for children and families throughout the hospital and in outpatient clinics. These highly trained professionals help your child cope with stress, prepare for procedures and understand their care in age-appropriate terms.
Why Choose Golisano Children's Hospital?
We offer:
- Education and advocacy: Our Child Life specialists educate adult providers in best practices for communicating with kids. No matter where your child receives treatment, they have an advocate and support system in Child Life.
- Professional development: All our Child Life specialists participate in ongoing professional development and training to learn new techniques and skills. We pride ourselves on being up to date on best practices for caring for children who need medical care.
- Family-centered care: No service highlights our commitment to family-centered care better than the Child Life Program. Whether it’s therapeutic playtime, caregiver education or distraction during a procedure, Child Life specialists serve as a resource to support your entire family.
How Does Child Life Help?
Child Life specialists work with families and health care providers to ensure we meet children’s developmental and emotional needs during their medical care. Some of the ways we offer support include:
- Communication with a child’s care team to enhance cooperation and prioritize children’s preferences
- Coping strategies to reduce trauma and anxiety during blood draws, tests or procedures
- Developmental and therapeutic play
- Family education and advocacy
- Legacy building and bereavement support for children with life-limiting illnesses
- Preparation for medical tests or treatments with age-appropriate explanations
How We Prepare Your Child for IV & MRI
Our Child Life specialists help walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have about your child's IV and MRI.
Child Life Services
Our Child Life team cares for children in multiple settings, including in:
- The emergency department
- Inpatient pediatrics
- Pediatric laboratories
- Pediatric preoperative areas
- Pediatric radiology
- The Comfort Zone
- UVM Cancer Treatment Center, where they support children of adult patients
Our Team
You can contact our dedicated team of Child Life Specialists by sending an email to ChildLifeMailbox@UVMHealth.org or directly to their email listed below.
| Name of Specialist | Department |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Eddy | Comfort Zone/Pediatric Intensive Care Unit |
| Jennifer Hipsley | Emergency Department |
| Sarah Taylor | Pre-Operative Unit |
| Linnea Fargo | Children's Specialty Center |
| Lillian Talmage | Inpatient Pediatrics |
| Jennifer Gagne | Radiology |
| Michelle Romano | Phlebotomy Lab |
| Jessica Rabidoux | Children of Adult Patients (Cancer Center & Adults Units) |
Teaching Tools
- What Is a Blood Draw?: Guide for children and their families to understand what to expect during a blood draw.
- What Is a Colonoscopy?: Guide for children and their families to understand what to expect during a colonoscopy.
- What Is a CT Scan?: Guide for children and their families to understand what to expect during a CT scan.
- What Is an EEG?: Guide for children and their families to understand what to expect during an electroencephalogram (EEG).
- What Is an Endoscopy?: Guide for children and their families to understand what to expect during an endoscopy.
- What Is an IV?: Guide for children and their families to prepare for an IV placement.
- What Is a Mask Induction?: Guide for children and their families to prepare for a mask induction during anesthesia.
- How Is My Port Accessed?: Guide for children and their families to prepare for a port access.
- What Can I Expect on My Day of Surgery?: Guide for children and their families for surgery day at the hospital.
Donate to the Child Life Program
Donating to Golisano Children’s Hospital helps ensure that children can keep being children despite their medical needs. On behalf of our patients and their families, we thank you for your generosity.
To coordinate a donation, please contact us at 802-847-7831 or ChildLifeDonations@UVMHealth.org.
Donations may be sent to:
Golisano Children’s Hospital
Attn: Child Life Department
Baird 5
111 Colchester Avenue
Burlington, VT 05401
We would love to thank you, so please include your name, phone number and address. If you are able, please complete the in-kind donation form below and send it along with your donation or email it to ChildLifeDonations@UVMHealth.org.
The Child Life team accepts donations of items such as:
- Arts and crafts items, including Play-Doh, colored pencils, modeling clay, slime kits, coloring books or art kits
- Distraction and coping items, including rattles, board books, fidget toys and bubbles
- Fleece blankets and stuffed animals
- Gift certificates to local restaurants that deliver or other gift cards
- Teaching tools, including medical kits and muslin dolls Toys and play items, including board games, card games or Lego kits
You may also purchase items from our wish list. Many of these items allow us to offer support and distraction to the children in our care.
If you’re donating handmade items, please be sure to remove all sewing needles and pins prior to donation. Pillowcases can be made to fit a standard sized pillow.
No-Sew Blankets
We are looking for blankets in two sizes, child and teen, with approximate lengths of one to one and a half yards for child blankets and two yards for teen blankets.
Muslin Dolls
Muslin dolls are used to help provide age-appropriate education to children, prepare for procedures, and offer children an avenue to engage in medical play.
We can only accept new, unused items to ensure the safety of our patients. Please also keep in mind that we cannot accept:
- Giftwrapped items. Any giftwrapped items need to be unwrapped before we can give them to patients.
- Handmade greeting cards
- Items made with latex
- Items that are racially or culturally insensitive
- Items that show evidence of smoke exposure, perfumes or pet hair
- Items with violent or religious themes
- New items that have been stored or displayed and have gathered dust or dirt
