Behaviour is communication and above all else, behaviour gives us insight into how a child is coping with stress and stressors.  Stress is defined as anything that requires a large amount of energy to get us back to our baseline.  With this definition we are asked to focus on the amount of energy it takes to deal with a stressor.  Stress occurs within 6 different domains - biological, emotion, cognitive, social, pro-social and environmental.  Children's brains are developing throughout childhood and adolescence, and these experiences can be a strong influence on how their brains become wired.  Our work with children has to be focused on decreasing the stress the child is experiencing and providing them with experiences of safety, rest and recovery through our relationship.  In this interactive presentation, participants will be challenged to view all behaviour through the lens of threat and safety.  Discussion and teaching will focus on the neurobiological experiences of stress for children.  This includes how the brain responds to a stressor, the stress response, and how the body experiences stress using the 6 domains of stress.  Safety is a brain response that quiets the stress alarm and provides opportunities for rest and recovery.  Experiences of safety are a major role of the Child Life Specialist.  This presentation will discuss how to include this understanding in practice through the development of a relationship between the CLS and the child and family.

Suggested Domain: Assessment

1.5 PDUs

Learning Objectives:

1. To provide a neurobiological understanding of how stress is experienced within childhood.  

2. To provide an understanding of how trauma and traumatic events affects brain development and coping.

3. To provide an understanding of how to support children with extreme stress in practice through relationship that supports a sense of safety for the child.

Thank you to our generous sponsor of this webinar, the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The location and extent of burn injuries often hinder the medical team’s ability to gain a comprehensive understanding of the child’s developmental and ability level. This can hinder how each multidisciplinary team member approaches the patient’s care and offers appropriate interventions and activities. Under the leadership of the child life specialist, a burn center multidisciplinary team formally incorporated the Ages and Stages Developmental Screening tool into their standardized practice. The purpose was to gain an understanding of the patient's pre-injury developmental stage and abilities. Assessment results were incorporated into a treatment plan by the PT, OT, and child life specialist. This presentation will discuss planning, implementation, results, and lessons learned. The presenters look forward to sharing the implementation of the screening tool for this specific population and discussing implications for other populations who are impacted by injury or necessary medical equipment

Suggested Domain: Assessment

1.0 PDU

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the Ages and Stages Developmental screening tool. 

2. Identify opportunities for utilization at their facility and stakeholders within the multidisciplinary team. 

3. Anticipate challenges with incorporating a screening tool. 

4. Learn how to incorporate results into Epic charting.

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk of neurodevelopment impairments.  Potential risk factors include being left alone for long periods of time with minimal stimulation, interaction, or opportunity to engage in developmentally appropriate play.  An interdisciplinary team was formed and posited that volunteers may be an underutilized resource to help providers and families deliver neurodevelopmental care to pediatric cardiology patients.  That team developed a volunteer program specific to this high-risk chronic population, with the goal of volunteers providing targeted developmental care during patient interactions.  This webinar will outline the process of creating this program, the impact of interdisciplinary teamwork and discuss the benefits of training hospital volunteers to complete specific developmental support within their volunteer scope for any chronic patient population.

Suggested Domain: Assessment

1.0 PDU

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will identify the need for a dedicated volunteer program within a chronic inpatient setting, and why it differs from a generalized volunteer program

2. Participants will review data collected demonstrating the heightened impact of this program on patients, families, team members and volunteers

3. Participants will gather resources and tips on developing a dedicated volunteer program for any chronic or at-risk inpatient population

4. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to an interdisciplinary group of presenters, gaining further insight or ideas for developing a dedicated volunteer program

Across the United States there has been a progressive and steady decrease in children admitted to the original hospital but rather transferred to another facility. The notification of a transfer can be a significant stressful time for pediatric patients and their families. The goal of an initial assessment by a child life specialist is to determine a child’s risk for negative psychological outcomes due to transfer and hospitalization and to plan appropriate interventions. This presentation will inform the child life community about a research study completed to show the benefits of pediatric patients receiving a toolkit intervention aimed at decreasing levels of stress and anxiety when transferring to a higher-level care facility.  The development of a new intervention will help alleviate such stress and can be beneficial for all parties involved.  Certified Child Life Specialists collaborated with the interdisciplinary team to reduce the stress and anxiety of being in the Emergency Department by psychologically preparing and supporting patients for procedures, transfer, and admission to another hospital.  Although child life specialists play an important role in children’s adaptation to hospitalization, evidence-based practice models support inter-professional collaboration as a means of strategically addressing complex issues associated with how children and their parents cope with medical challenges.

Suggested Domain: Assessment/Intervention

1.0 PDU

Learning Objectives:

1. Initial assessment of a child to determine the efficacy of psychosocial interventions provided by a Child Life Specialist in preparing children for transport to another medical facility.

2. Show the benefits of preparation for a pediatric patient being transferred to a higher level of care facility.

3. Alleviate the stress and anxiety of a pediatric patient and their family through an interdisciplinary team approach when the unexpected is present during a pediatric medical emergency.  

Thank you to our generous sponsor of today's webinar, UW Madison.

The presenters will discuss the implementation and outcome of a pre-call program for patients scheduled for an upcoming voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). Examples of assessment and tracking tools utilized for implementing child life pre-calls in an outpatient setting will be discussed. Lessons learned about how to create a LEAN, equitable, atraumatic process will be shared.

Suggested Domain: Assessment

1.0 PDU