Child Life Department
(813) 554-8155

The hospital experience can be a stressful time for children. They are taken out of the comforts of everyday life and placed in an unfamiliar environment with new people and events to face. It is the goal of the Child Life Team to create positive medical experiences for children, thus equipping them with the tools necessary to cope with not only their hospitalization but also the adversity they will face throughout their lives. Children are resilient by nature and by providing them with developmentally appropriate intervention we are giving them the opportunity to grow from their medical experiences. The Child Life Team at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is committed to helping children understand their illness and procedures in order to facilitate positive coping with hospitalization.

Child Life Specialists have a Bachelors or Masters degree in fields such as child development, recreation therapy, education, and child psychology. We specialize in working with children in health care settings, offering a variety of services to patients' ages 0-21 and their families.

For a complete explanation of all the services provided by the Child Life Department at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa, please explore the Programs and Services  link under Related Links.