About Child Life

Members of our child life staff hold advanced-degree training in the growth and development of children. They provide age-appropriate information to help children cope with the hospital and prepare them emotionally for invasive procedures and surgery. Techniques include diagnosis-specific education, medical play and psychological preparation. University students from across the United States seek out the child life clinical training program at Children's, and staff members have helped develop similar programs across the nation.

Specialists

Explaining Procedures

Children want to know where a heart comes from for a heart transplant and how their sibling "caught" cancer and if it's contagious. Child life specialists explain procedures in terms patients and their siblings understand. Specialists engage children in medical play, showing them how to give a teddy bear an injection or listen to its heart with a play stethoscope.

Activities

Child life specialists work with patients to help them adapt to their surroundings. They can be found playing with children in the playrooms or helping create an artistic masterpiece with glitter and glue. Older patients enjoy a game of pool or a lesson on the computer. 

Hospital Contact

Staff

Cristina Judah, CLA - Child Life Assistant
Amanda Ammons, MS, CCLS - Arch Clinic
Keath Shields, CLA- Child Life Assistant
Kerry Bankhead , CCLS - Emergency Services
Chelsea Riley , CCLS - Cardiology - CVICU
Ashley Brady , MS, CCLS - Pre-Surgery/ Radiology
Jill Bringhurst , MS, CCLS - Trauma/Trauma Clinic  
Michelle Reinhart, CCLS - Emergency Services
Kellye Carroll , MS, CCLS, CIMI - Child Life Team Supervisor / Education
Renee Caskey , CCLS - Neonatal ICU
Stephanie Clark , CCLS - Legacy, Emergency Services 
Kimberly Crews , CCLS - GI, GI Clinic
Annie Cross , MMEd, MT-BC - Music Therapy
Ruthie Davis , MA, CCLS - CCBD and Clinic
Leah Dunn, CCLS - Renal
Kellie Frnka , CCLS - Hemodialysis/Peritoneal CCLS
Amy Garcia , MS, CCLS - Child Life Team Supervisor
Kate Gibbs , CCLS - Legacy ED
Melinda Goff , MS, CCLS - Child Life Team Supervisor
Whitney Harrington, CCLS - CCBD & Clinic
Tanya Hastings , BA, CCLS - Legacy Outpatient Radiology
Johanna Henry , CCLS - Pulmonary, Cystic Fibrosis
Taylor Hobbs , CCLS - General Pediatrics 
Renee Hunte , MA, CCLS - Director Child Life 
Yvette Lira, CLA - Child Life Assistant
Lisa Jones , MA, MT-BC - Music Therapy Supervisor 
Christine Knefley , MS, CCLS - Radiology
Kristen Johnson,MS, CCLS - Child Life Manager
Erin Brumfield,CCLS -Fellow
Cecilia Nelson, MS, CCLS - Ortho Clinic
Karen Norris, MS, MT-BC - Music Therapy
Jennifer Roady, CCLS -Neuro Oncology/ Hematology Clinic 
Erica Smith , MS, CCLS - PICU - ICU
Audrey Speck , CCLS - Emergency Services 
Krista Stringer , CCLS - Child Life Team Supervisor / Same Day Surgery Clinic
Lauren Suttle , CCLS - General Peds
Melanie Sweat , CCLS - Solid Organ Transplant Program
Ashlee Troop , CCLS - Cardiology/CVICU/Card Clinic
Jennifer Tyler , CLA - Child Life Assistant 
Crystal Wilkins, CCLS - CCBD Clinic
Meghan Wilmer, MS, CCLS - Radiology 
Barbara Yu - Arts Program