Patients & VisitorsMeet Your Care Team Child Life Specialists
Child Life Specialists
“Patients and families bring more than their medical needs when they enter the healthcare system; they carry all their experiences, traumas, worries, beliefs, coping skills, and support systems as well.” (Association of Child Life Professionals. (2021). (Emotional safety in pediatrics executive summary).
What Is a Child Life Specialist?
- Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) are certified clinicians who are trained to focus on a patient and family’s Emotional Safety throughout medical experiences with the intent to promote empowerment, understanding, and lessen the possibility of any form of medical trauma. They are skilled at providing developmentally appropriate support, education, preparation, and therapeutic play opportunities to decrease anxiety associated with being in the hospital for patients, siblings, and loved ones. For more information visit the Association of Child Life Professionals website.
- Lurie Children’s has Child Life Specialists located at our main hospital and our outpatient satellite locations who are there to help your child understand their visit (including diagnosis, procedural needs, inpatient stays) in a developmentally approprite way.
- Child Life Specialists also help support and guide legacy making as well as provide support through bereavement for siblings and loved ones.
Contact Information
Request a Child Life Specialist by calling 312.227.3270 or asking a member of your medical team to reach out to a Child Life Specialist.
Pease email childlifereferral@luriechildrens.org for non-urgent needs or to connect with a Child Life Specialist.
Please email prepforsurgery@luriechildrens.org for main campus surgical services support needs.
Please feel free to fill out the caregiver survey prior to your appointment or visit to help us better understand how to support your child through their individual coping needs. Download the Patient and Family Coping Questionnaire. If filled out, please bring with you to your appointment or visit.
Our Child Life Specialists
Our Child Life Specialists support different areas of the hospitals. Since their day-to-day tasks can vary greatly, please take a look at the information below to learn which Child Life Specialist serves which populations.
Main Hospital
Intensive Care Units
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
312.227.7568
312.227.3942
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
312.227.3266
312.227.5095
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
312.227.3334 or 847.323.0763
Acute Care Units
19th Floor
Available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
312.227.3338
20th Floor
Monday & Tuesday and Thursday & Friday, 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
312.227.3347
21st Floor
Available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
312.227.0218
Facility Dog Handler
Available Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday at Dayton Clinics from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
312.227.1289
Hematology/Oncology
Inpatient and Outpatient Liquid Tumor/Stem Cell Transplant
Available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
312.227.2830
Inpatient and Outpatient Neuro-Oncology/Hematology/Stem Cell Transplant
Available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday AM, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
312.227.3294
Inpatient and Outpatient Solid Tumor/Stem Cell Transplant
Available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
312.227.3287
Main Hospital Outpatient
Cardiac
Available Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
312.227.4929
CEVUS/VCUG
Available Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
312.227.6397
Emergency Department
Available Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
312.227.3253
Medical Imaging
Available Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
312.227.1702
312.227.3274
MRI Try Without Anesthesia Program
Available Wednesday and Thursday 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
312.227.3294
Find a list of commonly asked questions about pediatric MRI sedation here.
Otolaryngology
Available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
312.227.5704
Surgical Services
Available Tuesday through Friday, 6 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
312.227.3273
312.227.8189
Satellite Centers
Lincoln Park Outpatient Center Clark/Deming
Available Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
312.227.6398
312.227.2931
SID Clinic (Deming)
Available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
312.227.8278
Protective Services Team and Safety and Well-Being Clinic
Available Monday, Wednesday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
312.227.2932
Northbrook Surgery & MRI Center
Available Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
312.227.2731
Schaumburg Ambulatory Infusion Center
Available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
312.227.0845
Skokie
Available Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
312.227.2931
Westchester
Available Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
312.227.7925
Video Resources
Beth Ryan, Senior Child Life Specialist, works with patients in the hospital’s Lekotek program, a therapeutic, play-based initiative that supports the development of children with special needs.
News & Stories
Support Our Team
If you are interested in supporting our Family Services programs through monetary or in-kind donations, please visit our donations site.