Lessons from the United States

Child life services is an important part of the pediatrics department in almost every US hospital with such a department. Its mission is to help children having both outpatient and inpatient medical treatment deal with fear or pain.

Child life specialists are involved in the whole circle of a child's experience at the hospital, starting in the waiting area. They help children and their families adjust to the hospital experience, facilitate and support their understanding of hospital procedures such as surgery and CT scans, and help them regain normalcy after being discharged.

For example, days before a child is hospitalized, a child life specialist will invite the child and his or her parents to the hospital to see what the ward is like and see if they need special facilities. They will also be shown around, including the route to the operating room, to get familiar with the environment and conquer fears.