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Calming Children’s Fears
Children's Hospital of Georgia Develops i-book Just for Kids
Having medical care can be frightening to children, especially if they require hospitalization. But Children's Hospital of Georgia
Child Life Specialists are trained to help kids understand and cope with care.
Historically, these specialists used a book of photos to walk children through the facility and prepare them for hospitalization.
But when the hospital began using iPads, Kimberly Allen, director of child and adolescent life services, asked Jeff Mastromonico, associate director of educational and collaborative technology, to develop an electronic program to tell the story.
Jeff and his team did much more. “We took their text and photos and added an interactive element,” Mastromonico says.
Now, when a Child Life Specialist sits down with a child, the patient can actually take part in an entertaining and informative slide show. They can see the dinosaurs on the hospital walls, push the elevator button, see their bed, talk about their doctor, pick toys off a shelf and color their own dressing gown. The show calms children’s fears by telling them what is going to happen in a way they can understand.
The show also discusses “sleepy” air and lets kids pick their favorite flavor, if they need anesthesia. And it lets them spin around in a three-dimensional wheel chair.
"I love being able to use this new high tech resource to prepare patients and families for surgery. With the iPad, I am able to make it a more engaging process for the patients," says Child Life Specialist Jamie Wolfe.
Be a Part of Your Child’s Treatment Team
If your child needs medical care, you’ll want to be involved every step of the way. You can do that at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. As a national leader in a concept known as
Patient-and-Family-Centered Care, Georgia Regents Health System builds collaborative partnerships between healthcare providers, patients and family members.
To us, families are not an imposition but a part of the treatment team. That’s why we don’t have established visiting hours. You can stay with your child 24/7, even in intensive care. After all, no one knows your child like you do.
Request an online appointment now or call 706-721-KIDS (5437) or toll free at 888-721-KIDS (5437) for more information or to speak to a member of our care team.