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Child Life Month highlights key members of pediatric healthcare team

Child Life Month highlights key members of pediatric healthcare team

SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital recognizes Child Life Month throughout March, highlighting the important work done by child life professionals. Child Life Month honors and acknowledges the work of Upstate’s 10-member team of certified child life specialists--professionals whose focus is in the use of developmental, educational and therapeutic interventions that help children and their families cope with challenging life events and experiences, such as those related to healthcare and hospitalization.

The child life team at Upstate Golisano will sponsor a variety of special events and activities as part of the monthlong celebration. These include:

- A visit to entertain patients and their families from the Twin Magicians March 3.

- Face painting fun for patients on March 7 and March 19.

- A performance for patients and their families by the musical group the Zucchini Brothers March 12.

- An opportunity for patients to meet Syracuse Crunch players March 12.

- A Health Fair featuring booths from several areas of Upstate University Hospital to be held in the Kinney Performance Center in the Treehouse March 14.

- Some fun with the Minute to Win It game event March 19.

- An old-fashioned Pinewood Derby March 26.

Pediatric staff members are asked to join in the fun by wearing special attire on specific days and attending lunch and learn sessions hosted by the child life staff. Lunch and learn sessions will be from noon to 1 p.m. for the first four Thursdays of the month and topics will include the use of Buzzy, music therapy and the Beads of Courage program. All pediatric staff members are invited to attend. Scheduled special attire days are:

Upstate or Golisano Children’s Hospital Shirt Day on March 7. Shirts can be purchased from Sue Karl, CCLS.

- Sports Day is March 14.

- Tie-dye Day is March 21.

- Hat Day is March 28.

For more information on Child Life Month, contact Margaret Nellis, CCLS, MS, manager of the Child Life program, or visit http://upstate.edu/gch/kids/childlife/. Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital’s child life specialists are certified by the Child Life Council.

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