Pediatrics
Child Life Department
Albert Perrella, MA, Certified Child Life Specialist, Director
(973) 972-1189, 5883 pager: (973) 312-3488
The Child Life Department at University Hospital is a therapeutic play and
activities program that is designed to assist children to cope with the
emotional and developmental impact of hospitalization, illness and medical
treatment.
The professionally trained staff, assisted by volunteers and student interns,
meets the needs of hospitalized children and adolescents by providing age
appropriate and therapeutic play activities to foster continued growth and
development as well as to encourage the free expression of feelings and a sense
of mastery to offset the abnormal experience of hospitalization.
The Child Life staff gets to know the pediatric patients by working with them
in a relaxed, non-threatening environment. Assessment and identification of
each child's needs enables the staff to provide suitable play experiences. The
pediatric playroom and the adolescent activity room are areas in the hospital
where no treatment or medical examinations should be carried out.