What We Do
Kythe ChildLife is our flagship program that provides psychosocial support to pediatric patients in the healthcare setting, and is designed to:
- Help the child cope with the stress and anxiety of the hospital experience therefore, minimizing psychological trauma
- Promote child’s normal growth and development in the health care setting
- Maintain the child and family’s normal living patterns
- Provide opportunities for:
- Play
- Learning
- Self-expression
- Family involvement
- Peer interaction
- Gaining a sense of mastery
Additionally, an important component of the Kythe Child Life Services is the conduct of various researches to establish evidence-based practice. These researches are done by the organization, as well as, in collaboration with medical and student researchers.
The core services of Kythe ChildLife form the acronym PETALS
Play
Provide opportunities for play and expressive activities that facilitate healing, coping, mastery, self-expression, creativity, achievement, and learning, and is vital to a child’s optimal growth and development.
Educate & prepare children
Provide children with non-threatening and age-appropriate explanations regarding the hospital environment, their illness and the procedures and treatment they need to undergo. This is done by using teaching tools, toys, special dolls, photographs and medical equipment. These individualized education and preparation help children to not only understand what is happening but also to build trust and confidence so that they know what to expect during this time of many changes.
Tend to emotional needs of the child & family
Offer information, emotional support, and guidance to the children, their parents, siblings, and other family members. Should the needs be beyond the capacity of the child life coordinator to address, referral to appropriate clinicians will be done.
Assist during medical procedures
Presence of the child life coordinator during a procedure to help children utilize pain management and coping strategies like imagery, distraction and relaxation to effectively reduce anxiety and manage pain through non-pharmacological means. These help make children feel less scared and anxious.
Lend financial & medical assistance
After a thorough selection process, the Family Support Program (FSP) provides financial and medical assistance to selected children and their families. Please refer to Appendix A for some products under the FSP.
Support parental involvement
Provision of a parent program that engages and empowers parents of chronically ill children to be active advocates in their children’s healthcare journeys. This is done through trainings, talks and informal gatherings.