Childhood Illness An Important Issue Affecting the Child, Family, and Community

1
Childhood IllnessAn Important Issue Affecting
the Child, Family, and Community

• By
• Arlene M. Juarez

2
Many Ill Children Are Struggling Everyday
Fighting the Battle for Survival
3
Healthcare Is A Crucial Part of A Childs Life
Especially When Faced With A Death Threatening
Disease

• Many Children are struggling everyday fighting
  brain cancer and other catastrophic illnesses.
• Childrens hospitals from all over the U.S. are
  dedicated in providing cutting-edge treatment and
  services for children and adolescents.
• Many of the healthcare treatment and services
  offered to children and families are highly
  expensive and without reasonable medical
  insurance there is no guarantees for survival.

4
What is a Chronic Illness?

• Chronic Illnesses differs from acute physical
  conditions in several important respects.
• A Chronic illness is usually treatable but not
  curable.
• The daily burden of care is high and extremely
• distressing to the relatives.

5
Effects A Family May Endure When Their Child Is
Diagnosed With A Chronic Illness

• Beyond facing a childs physical challenges and
  medical needs, parents have to deal with the
  emotional needs a sick child may have and the
  emotional impact that the prolonged illness may
  have on the entire family.

6
Luckily, this tough balancing act doesnt have to
be accomplished alone
7
Important Healthcare Staff In A Childs Life

• Physicians, Nurses, technicians, dietitians,
  social workers, Child Life Staff, other health
  professionals, volunteers, and parents.
• Can all lend a helping hand!

8
An important program offered at many childrens
hospitals in the U.S., is the Child Life Program

• The child life program strives to promote optimum
  development of children and their families, to
  maintain normal living patterns and to minimize
  psychological trauma.
• As integral members of the healthcare team both
  the ambulatory care and impatient settings, child
  life staff provide children opportunities for
  gaining a sense of mastery, for play, for
  learning, for self-expression, for family
  involvement and for peer interaction.

9
If as a child, you ever spent any time in a
hospital, you know its not all jello and puppet
shows
10
For some children, a night in the hospital is
their first night away from home

• Sometimes a child has to be prepared for a long
  stay, or a long series of stays.

11
Sometimes it means going through a series of
tests, or having an operation.
12
Do you have memories of someone who gave you
special attention during your hospital stay?
13
Maybe there was someone who brought you crayons
and toys, or who helped you make friends with
other children
14
Someone who explained the procedures, and helped
you and your parents relax?
15
If so you were probably in the care of a Child
Life Specialist

• Whether working in a hospital that provides care
  for both adults and children, or in a hospital
  committed primarily to child care, the Child Life
  Specialist is an important member of the
  healthcare team.

16


The Child Life Specialist

• Provides a hands-on preparation sessions to help
  children understand upcoming tests and
  procedures.
• They also help children in finding ways to cope
  during these experiences. In collaboration with
  your family and other health care providers.

17
Medical Play

• A child life specialist provides hands-on play
  experience to help children become familiar with
  the medical equipment they will encounter.

18
Procedural Support

• A Child Life Specialist helps children cope
  during medical procedures by utilizing
  distraction and relaxation techniques.
• A Child Life Specialist also assists parents in
  supporting their child during these procedures.

19
Why Is Therapeutic Play So Important?

• This opportunity allows children to express
  feelings and fears about their hospitalization,
  and work through medical experiences and
  procedures.
• Play is very important for children because it
  builds social skills and self-esteem.
• Play helps reduce the childs anxiety while
  undergoing medical procedures.

20
Child Life Program Offers

• Sibling Support -- Siblings also are affected by
  hospitalization. Siblings may need help to
  understand medical situations and to work through
  their own feelings and concerns. Child Life
  Specialists are available to help families by
  providing information and support to siblings.
• Bedside Activities -- The Child Life Playroom
  hosts a toy and book-lending library to
  facilitate play at the bedside. The resources
  available include board games, puzzles, toys, art
  and craft materials and books. These materials
  may be brought to children by a Child Life staff
  member, or are available for check- out during
  scheduled playroom sessions.
• Special Events - Child Life Services hosts a
  variety of special events throughout the year and
  during the holiday season. These events include
  carnivals, clowns, visits from therapeutic TOUCH
  Dogs, reading programs, gardening programs, and
  visits from local celebrities.

21
The family is the most integral part of a
childs life

• The majority of successful families tend to be
  those who are able to move on from seeing the
  illness as an intrusion toward working together
  as a teamto face the new responsibilities of
  managing a long-term illness.
• By handling the situation as openly as possible,
  the parent and child are free to resume as normal
  a life as possible. Shared awareness among the
  young person, parents, and medical personnel
  frequently has a soothing effect.
• The child seems happier knowing about the disease
  than fearing the unknown. Medical care is more
  successful because the child can actively
  participate. Parents do not carry the extra
  burden of concealing the truth. Despite the
  uncertainties and the heartaches, everyone
  becomes more comfortable with the disease and
  with the future.

22
Health care is imperative to the ill child

• Therefore healthcare should be kept in
  conjunction with the child receiving the proper
  welfare they deserve.
• In order to help promote healthy children we need
  to preserve all programs that will help secure
  the child with early and continuous healthcare.

23
Thank You For Your Support!