• What is a Child Life Specialist?
• Activities & Pet Therapy
• Surgery Pre-Tours
• Radiology Procedures (X-ray, CT, MRI)
• Tours & Visitors
• Volunteers & Donations
• Cabarrus Safe Kids Coalition

What is a Child LIfe Specialist?

A Child Life Specialist is a professional who is specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging life events and stressful healthcare experiences. Child Life Specialists are skilled in providing developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for children and their families under stress. Child Life Specialists support growth and development while recognizing family strengths and individuality, and respecting different methods of coping.

Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree, with an educational background that includes human growth and development, education, psychology, and counseling. They are required to complete an internship program and a rigorous application and examination process. Child Life Specialists are certified through a program administered by the Child Life Council (CLC).

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Activities & Pet Therapy

Activities are scheduled twice per day - once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The type of activity depends on the age of the children currently in the hospital, but may include play dough fun, sticker fun, bubbles, or arts and crafts.

In addition, special parties are held for various holidays, such as the annual halloween costume parade, a party and valentines exchange, and a visit from Santa at Christmas. Recently, we've begun an annual tradition of the local fire department distributing toys on Christmas Eve, complete with huge party. Last year, they even brought a signed football from the Carolina Panthers to this party. And of course, the famous snow parties happen quite frequently during the winter months.

The benefits of pet therapy are numerous, probably more so for children. At CMC - NorthEast, four (4) different dogs come to visit Monday through Thursday. The dogs and their owners visit room to room, often starting in the playroom, and enter each room at the child's own comfort level. These dogs have completed intense behavior training, passed exams with their veterinarian, and are current on all vaccines. The screening process for pets in pet therapy requires about 6 months and tons of paperwork, so we can be ensure patient safety. One of our pet therapy dogs is even a winning show dog!!

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Surgery - Pre-Tour

To schedule a pre-surgery tour with the Child Life specialist and Surgical Nurse Educator, please contact (704) 783-1145. These one hour tours are for parents, siblings, and the scheduled surgical patient. Tours meet in the lobby of the surgery center and walk the family through each step of the process and each area of the hospital where parents and patients may be. Both parents and children will know what to expect from our staff and each other. We hope this eliminates any questions and eases fears for the whole family.

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Radiology Procedures (X-ray, CT, MRI)

Hospitalized patients are transported by a staff member to the radiology department for any scheduled X-rays or tests. Parents may accompany children and wait with them until the patient is called for the procedure. If your child is having an x-ray, parents may be in the room or just outside behind a small safety wall. Other tests or procedures might be harmful to others and therefore require parents remain in the waiting area or an adjacent room. Please ask the child life specialist to clarify any pf the scheduled tests to you and your child if you are uncertain of what will take place.

If the child has to be put to sleep, a nurse will remain with the child to continually assess their condition and reaction to the anesthesia.

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Tours & Visitors

We encourage all groups desiring to visit our children in the pediatric areas to schedule a tour time and date in advance with our Child Life Specialist. This helps to minimize disruptions on the pediatric floors and to help our staff better prepare for coverage as additional staff are needed to guide your group through the tour.

Policies & Procedures:
The Child Life Specialist will accompany your group through entire visit and will meet each group at the pediatric doors to begin. Tours are 30 minutes in length and cover the basic areas of the pediatrics department. Areas that are not included in the tour are the NICU , PICU , mother/baby, and any isolation rooms. Group members will be asked to use foam hand sanitizer upon entry and exit.

We request that each group be no larger than 20 persons and not include children under 6 years of age. With parental permission, tours may enter patient rooms, but please refrain from asking questions about the patient's condition or reason for admission to either the child, parents, or child life specialist.

To schedule a tour for a school, church, or civic group, please contact the Child Life Specialist at (704) 783-2303.

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Cabarrus Safe Kids Coalition

CMC - NorthEast is the lead agency for Safe Kids Cabarrus, an affiliate of Safe Kids Worldwide. Their mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury in children 14 years and under with initiatives such as child safety seat inspections, fire, water, and bike safety education, and other educational workshops throughout the county. For more information about this coalition or any special events, such as safety seat inspection times and locations, please visit the Cabarrus Safe Kids web site.

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What's New?

» Read the press release about the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital Grand Opening celebration

» Read more about Jeff Gordon and his involvement with Athletes for Hope

» Visit the Pediatric Pavilion online