The Child Life Program of Evanston Hospital

Children reading in the Pediatric Unit playroom

Evanston Hospital has a 20-bed Pediatric and Adolescent Unit that serves patients ranging from 0 to 21 years of age.  To an infant, child, or adolescent, a hospitalization can be a difficult and stressful experience.  Child Life Services were established here at Evanston in 1977 to help alleviate some of the anxieties of patients and families.  The Child Life team works with the medical staff to positively affect the treatment of the “whole” child.

Our program is run by Certified Child Life Specialists that are experts in infant, child, and adolescent development, who promote effective coping through play, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children and teens facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly related to healthcare and hospitalization.