MDNews - Long Island

"Medical treatment is an important part of pediatric care, but there's more involved. We look at each individual child to identify and meet their emotional and physical needs." — Warren Rosenfeld, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at Winthrop-University Hospital "Children may not confide in physicians or tell us their deepest fears, but they will open up and talk to child life specialists," Dr. Rosenfeld notes. Children with conditions such as Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, or other special needs experience ampli- fied apprehension of receiving medical care. The Child Life Program forms the backbone of two additional programs designed to meet the challenges of treating these patients. Children With Special Needs Are STARS Prior to joining Winthrop, Dr. Daum had become interested in treating children who at the time were considered emotion- ally disturbed but today would likely be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. After coming to Winthrop and seeing the success of the Child Life Program, Dr. Daum saw the potential to expand the program and enhance the process by which multispecialty services was offered. The idea led to the development of a unique service: the STAR Program. Parents are encouraged to register their children in advance of their treat- ment with Lori Benzoni, MPH, Pediatric Program and Event Manager, or Nicole Almeida, MS, CCLS, Director of the Child Life Program, who meticulously crafts profiles of each child's unique medical and emotional needs — a service that enhances Winthrop's already unimpeach- able standard of care. As patients often receive care from Winthrop providers for many years, profiles are constantly updated and distributed to each specialist involved in the child's care plan. While clinicians identify medical pathology, patient profiles provide a nuanced portrait of each patient's per- sonality and treatment preferences. For example, one young special needs patient had an aversion to blue bed pads — the plastic liners draped across operating tables before procedures. This information was noted in his profile, and before he and his family arrived for his procedure, a child life specialist replaced the blue bed pad with a plain white sheet. The child never saw the bed pad, and the procedure was a success. Were it not for this small effort, the patient could have experienced an adverse reaction brought about by undue levels of mental stress, making the procedure more challenging for medical providers, the patient, and his or her family. But, while such attention to detail is of the utmost importance, sometimes the hospital itself creates anxiety in a child. Recognizing that the medical setting can place undue stress on families of children with special needs, child life specialists provide support from the moment families enter the hospital's doors. Christine Vaskas, music therapist (left), and Nicole Almeida, MS, CCLS, Director of the Child Life Program, in the Child Life Playroom. Dr. Daum with a patient COV ER FE AT UR E 8 | Long Island MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M

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