Child Life

What is Child Life?

The Child Life program at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital helps children and their families cope with health care experiences. Child Life Specialists are child development experts who focus on the emotional and developmental needs of children and families in a health care setting. Through therapeutic play, preparation and education, Child Life Specialists are able to reduce patient’s fear, anxiety and pain while allowing for mastery over their health care experience. 

Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in the Midlands that has Certified Child Life Specialists as part of the health care team. You will find Child Life Specialists working in some of these areas at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital:

• Children’s Emergency Center
• Outpatient Pediatric Surgery
• Pediatric Sedation Unit
• Tom Bates Day Hospital 
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
• Infant and Toddler Inpatient Unit
• School Age and Adolescent Inpatient Unit
• Cancer and Blood Disorders Inpatient Unit and Clinic
• Family Services Center