Child Life Interview
Erikson's stages of psychosocial development -
trust vs mistrust (birth-1yr)
autonomy vs shame and doubt (1-3 yrs)
initiative vs guilt (3-6yrs)
industry vs inferiority (6-12 yrs)
identity vs role confusion (12-18yrs)
intimacy and solidarity vs isolation (20s)
generativity vs self-absorption (late 20s-50s)
integrity vs despair (50yrs and beyond)
Piaget's stages of cognitive development -
sensorimotor: birth-2yrs
pre-operational: 2-7 yrs
concrete operational: 7-11yrs
formal operational: 11 yrs-beyond
Freud's stages of psychosexual development -
oral (birth-1yr)
anal (1-3 yr)
phallic (3-6 yr
latency (6-11yr)
genital (adolescence)
Infant's stressors of hospitalization -
Difficulty with attention
Separation from caregiver/parent
Disruption of daily routines
Impaired basic trust
Limited opportunities for stimulation
Caregiver constantly changing
Infant interventions -
Meet physical needs promptly
Allow unrestricted visiting by parents
Learn from parents their ways of comforting their child
Provide consistency in staff/care giving
Encourage parents to stay and assist with care-bathing, feeding, diaper changes
Create a soothing atmosphere-dim the lights, soft music
Provide sensory opportunities- visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular and kinesthetic
Communicate using soothing voices/low tones
Minimize intrusive behavior
Continuous opportunities for motor development
Maintain daily routines
Infant play activities in the hospital -
Listening to music such as lullabies
1|Page
,Providing familiar toys and objects from home such as stuffed animals, music, blankets and
rattles
Creating a visually stimulating environment during an inpatient stay with mirrors, mobiles
and brightly colored crib toys
Offering rattles, rings and keys
Placing toys to encourage kicking, rolling and crawling
Playing peek-a-boo
Toddlers stressors of hospitalization -
Loss of autonomy and control
Loss of self esteem
Forced regression
Restriction of movement and space
Frightening fantasies
Fear of bodily injury
Toddler interventions -
Allow children to express feelings of protest-validate feelings
Accept regressive behaviors
Encourage the child to talk about parents and others in their life-separation play
Encourage parents to stay or leave comfort objects
Interpret the child's behaviors to the parent-explain & normalize the regression
Incorporate home routines that are important to the child
Allow children as much mobility as possible-being restricted or restrained is a toddler's
bigger stressor
Offer realistic choices for control
Promote therapeutic play
Provide explanation and reassurance with treatment and procedures
Facilitate medical play
Toddler play activities in the hospital -
Providing familiar toys and objects such as stuffed animals, movies, music and
blankets
Listening to favorite music
Watching favorite movies or cartoons
Scribbling with crayons and paper
Stacking blocks
Reading books with adults
Bouncing, throwing and kicking a ball
Sculpting with play dough
Painting
Hammering, pounding or crashing toys
Playing peek-a-boo
Preschool aged stressors of hospitalization -
Illness/hospitalization viewed as punishment for bad behavior
Loss of autonomy
Regression
Separation anxiety
Fear of bodily harm
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, Preschool aged interventions -
Allow child to express feelings of protest and anger
Acknowledge the child's fears and anxieties-validate feelings, help children label their strong
emotions
Encourage children to "play out" feelings and fears- rich imaginative play, clarify
misconceptions during medical play using honest communication and age appropriate
explanation
Accept regressive behaviors-explain & normalize to caregivers
Assist child in moving from regressive responses to behaviors that are more appropriate for
the child's age
Preschool aged play activities in the hospital -
Bringing familiar toys and objects such as blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, dolls,
movies, music and clothes
Listening to favorite music
Watching favorite movies or cartoons
Playing board games such as CANDYLAND, CHUTES AND LADDERS and MEMORY.
Drawing with crayons and paper
Reading with an adult
Counting objects
Building with blocks
Bouncing, throwing and kicking balls
Cutting and gluing with scissors and paper
Participating in group activities with peers
Pounding, hammering and crashing toys
Crafting with play dough, painting and drawing
Playing with puppets and dolls, and playing house
Playing with water and sand
School aged stressors of hospitalization -
Loss of bodily function/control
Fears of pain/bodily injury/mutilation
Regression of cognitive skills
Separation issues related to disruption of daily routines/school/peers
Self esteem/self identity
Enforced dependence
Loss of mastery
School aged interventions -
Allow child to express feelings; both verbally and non-verbally
Acknowledge the child's fears and concerns-encourage a discussion; talk about
other kid's experiences and how they coped (industry vs. inferiority)
Involve child in activities appropriate to developmental level and medical
condition
Appropriate interventions to alleviate pain
Encourage parents to stay
Encourage peer contact- lots of group activities in the playroom
Continue with schooling
Provide individual recreation
3|Page
Erikson's stages of psychosocial development -
trust vs mistrust (birth-1yr)
autonomy vs shame and doubt (1-3 yrs)
initiative vs guilt (3-6yrs)
industry vs inferiority (6-12 yrs)
identity vs role confusion (12-18yrs)
intimacy and solidarity vs isolation (20s)
generativity vs self-absorption (late 20s-50s)
integrity vs despair (50yrs and beyond)
Piaget's stages of cognitive development -
sensorimotor: birth-2yrs
pre-operational: 2-7 yrs
concrete operational: 7-11yrs
formal operational: 11 yrs-beyond
Freud's stages of psychosexual development -
oral (birth-1yr)
anal (1-3 yr)
phallic (3-6 yr
latency (6-11yr)
genital (adolescence)
Infant's stressors of hospitalization -
Difficulty with attention
Separation from caregiver/parent
Disruption of daily routines
Impaired basic trust
Limited opportunities for stimulation
Caregiver constantly changing
Infant interventions -
Meet physical needs promptly
Allow unrestricted visiting by parents
Learn from parents their ways of comforting their child
Provide consistency in staff/care giving
Encourage parents to stay and assist with care-bathing, feeding, diaper changes
Create a soothing atmosphere-dim the lights, soft music
Provide sensory opportunities- visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular and kinesthetic
Communicate using soothing voices/low tones
Minimize intrusive behavior
Continuous opportunities for motor development
Maintain daily routines
Infant play activities in the hospital -
Listening to music such as lullabies
1|Page
,Providing familiar toys and objects from home such as stuffed animals, music, blankets and
rattles
Creating a visually stimulating environment during an inpatient stay with mirrors, mobiles
and brightly colored crib toys
Offering rattles, rings and keys
Placing toys to encourage kicking, rolling and crawling
Playing peek-a-boo
Toddlers stressors of hospitalization -
Loss of autonomy and control
Loss of self esteem
Forced regression
Restriction of movement and space
Frightening fantasies
Fear of bodily injury
Toddler interventions -
Allow children to express feelings of protest-validate feelings
Accept regressive behaviors
Encourage the child to talk about parents and others in their life-separation play
Encourage parents to stay or leave comfort objects
Interpret the child's behaviors to the parent-explain & normalize the regression
Incorporate home routines that are important to the child
Allow children as much mobility as possible-being restricted or restrained is a toddler's
bigger stressor
Offer realistic choices for control
Promote therapeutic play
Provide explanation and reassurance with treatment and procedures
Facilitate medical play
Toddler play activities in the hospital -
Providing familiar toys and objects such as stuffed animals, movies, music and
blankets
Listening to favorite music
Watching favorite movies or cartoons
Scribbling with crayons and paper
Stacking blocks
Reading books with adults
Bouncing, throwing and kicking a ball
Sculpting with play dough
Painting
Hammering, pounding or crashing toys
Playing peek-a-boo
Preschool aged stressors of hospitalization -
Illness/hospitalization viewed as punishment for bad behavior
Loss of autonomy
Regression
Separation anxiety
Fear of bodily harm
2|Page
, Preschool aged interventions -
Allow child to express feelings of protest and anger
Acknowledge the child's fears and anxieties-validate feelings, help children label their strong
emotions
Encourage children to "play out" feelings and fears- rich imaginative play, clarify
misconceptions during medical play using honest communication and age appropriate
explanation
Accept regressive behaviors-explain & normalize to caregivers
Assist child in moving from regressive responses to behaviors that are more appropriate for
the child's age
Preschool aged play activities in the hospital -
Bringing familiar toys and objects such as blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, dolls,
movies, music and clothes
Listening to favorite music
Watching favorite movies or cartoons
Playing board games such as CANDYLAND, CHUTES AND LADDERS and MEMORY.
Drawing with crayons and paper
Reading with an adult
Counting objects
Building with blocks
Bouncing, throwing and kicking balls
Cutting and gluing with scissors and paper
Participating in group activities with peers
Pounding, hammering and crashing toys
Crafting with play dough, painting and drawing
Playing with puppets and dolls, and playing house
Playing with water and sand
School aged stressors of hospitalization -
Loss of bodily function/control
Fears of pain/bodily injury/mutilation
Regression of cognitive skills
Separation issues related to disruption of daily routines/school/peers
Self esteem/self identity
Enforced dependence
Loss of mastery
School aged interventions -
Allow child to express feelings; both verbally and non-verbally
Acknowledge the child's fears and concerns-encourage a discussion; talk about
other kid's experiences and how they coped (industry vs. inferiority)
Involve child in activities appropriate to developmental level and medical
condition
Appropriate interventions to alleviate pain
Encourage parents to stay
Encourage peer contact- lots of group activities in the playroom
Continue with schooling
Provide individual recreation
3|Page
