Caring For Kids: Mind and Body

Children receiving medical care for illness and injuries may face a range of stressors and obstacles that are above and beyond what a typical child endures. To help account for psychological concerns that may result from or be exacerbated by medical conditions, Children’s Health has experts on hand to help children and their families throughout their healthcare journeys.

Pediatric health psychologists and therapists use evidence-based assessments and interventions for challenges specifically related to medical diagnoses in clinical areas throughout Children’s Health and over the course of a child’s healthcare experience.

These Pediatric Health Psychology specialists are embedded in clinical practices and provide patient-specific care and support for families to meet the unique challenges of particular medical conditions. They help children adjust to new diagnoses, cope with health concerns, prepare for medical interventions, manage pain and provide overall social and emotional support to children to help them in their daily lives. Not only do these services improve the mental health and well-being of our patients but such support lends to greater treatment adherence, more successful care management and improved associated clinical outcomes.

Patients and families across Children’s Health benefit from a significant presence of embedded Pediatric Health Psychology services within medical subspecialities. The value placed on these offerings by both mental health experts and medical staff, as well as by generous philanthropic partners, position our institution as a leader in such comprehensive care.

This further enables us to train, recruit and hire therapists and psychologists with expertise in specific patient populations, enhancing the support that children receive and the outcomes they experience. Several departments and programs of Children’s Health have dedicated Pediatric Health Psychology specialists with more experts continuing to join the institution to serve unique segments of our patient population.

HOW PEDIATRIC HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY PROVIDERS SUPPORT OUR PATIENTS

• Reduce anxiety and mood problems
• Decrease stress related to chronic illness or new diagnosis
• Encourage adherence to medication, diet and treatment plans
• Therapies for pain, physical symptoms and long-term hospitalization
• Improve identity and peer relationships
• Advance communication skills
• Support for family and lifestyle adjustments
• Process grief and impact of medical trauma