What is Child & Family Life?
The Child and Family Life department at Northville Health Center is made up of trained professionals with expertise in helping reduce stress and anxiety associated with healthcare experiences. Child life specialists partner with doctors, nurses, social workers, and others to meet the unique emotional, developmental and cultural needs of children at any age and their families. Child life specialists promote effective coping through play, procedure preparation, procedure support, diagnosis education, and self-expression activities.
Top 10 Reasons to Request Child & Family Life
If the child in your family…
- Would benefit from preparation for a procedure or surgery
- Needs distraction/support during or after a procedure
- Experiences anxiety during healthcare encounters
- Is having a new medical experience or has had a previous negative experience
- Needs medical procedures or terminology explained in child friendly terms
- Is alone or needs a supportive advocate
- Has just been diagnosed with a chronic illness
- Has just experienced a loss or traumatic event
- Has special developmental needs
- Has difficulty coping with procedures or treatment
Poke Program & Child Life
A needlestick poke or procedure may cause children of any age to experience pain or anxiety. Because we care about your child's physical and emotional health, we have developed the Michigan Medicine Poke Program to help reduce the pain and fear surrounding needlestick pokes and uncomfortable procedures.
We are Here for You
Please don’t hesitate to request services during your visit at Northville Health Center. If you would like to speak to a child life specialist, please call 248-305-4710. Child Life Services are available Monday through Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm.
Learn More about Child and Family Life Services at Michigan Medicine