The Care and De-escalation of the Sensory Patient

Devon Fahrenwald completed a Bachelor’s degree in Child Life from Edgewood College. During that time, she completed a 630-hour child life internship at MercyHealth Hospital in Rockford, Illinois. After graduating, she began work at a pediatric therapy center, where she collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to help educate and provide resources for families with children with autism, developmental delays, and other diagnoses. In January 2020, Devon took a position at Lakeland Regional Health as a Certified Child Life Specialist, primarily in the pediatric in-patient unit, intensive care unit, and emergency department. Devon has also led the expansion of our sensory program, BRAVE, in the Pediatric Emergency Department at Lakeland Regional. In 2020, Devon has co-presented at the Florida Association of Child Life Professionals Conference and the Great Lakes Association of Child Life Professionals Conference.

Jillian Haley graduated with a Bachelor’s degree Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Florida in 2011 and is currently working on her Masters in Child Life at Southeastern Louisiana University. In 2011, Jillian completed her internship at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX. After her internship, Jillian accepted a Per Diem position at John’s Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2013, Jillian accepted her current position at Lakeland Regional Health and has developed an adult bereavement program, the BRAVE sensory program and has expanded the Child Life program at Lakeland Regional. In 2017, Jillian became a certified coordinator for the Resolve Through Sharing Bereavement program. Jillian has also been a Disaster Relief Certified Child Life Specialist since 2016. Jillian has co-presented at several regional and local conferences about the development of her sensory program.