Distraction

Sometimes the best technique I can utilize whether for pain, coping, or anxiety is distraction.  We can all be distracted by something and, as a child life specialist, I take my job very seriously as I work to uncover the specific distraction that works for each patient.  For toddlers it can include bubbles, singing, or light up toys.  For school aged children, I often gravitate toward the iPad, a game, or craft.  For teens, a good distraction might be talking about their favorite movie, listening to music, or an activity.  Whatever that topic is, I must work to find how I can utilize it as I attempt to distract from an unpleasant experience.

Today, I found myself working very hard for my pay check as I printed out pictures of these two for a teenage girl to use as distraction...

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.  To all my child life friends - keep up the hard work and if the opportunity ever arises to use pictures like this has hospital room wallpaper...don't let it slip away.