baylor scott & white health
Health Care Reimagined
comfort for patients’ kids
Caroline was 5 when her mother, Shannon, had a heart transplant. As her mom struggled to recover in the intensive care unit( ICU) of Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, Caroline— a budding artist— wanted to do something special for her.
First, she decorated a small mailbox for her mom’ s room. Then she made get well cards and watched through the window with Baylor Scott & White Health child life specialist Mary Catherine Miller as her father placed them in the mailbox.
This wasn’ t the first time Miller helped Caroline cope with her mother’ s condition. Caroline loved coloring with her mother. Whenever she met with Miller, she insisted they color together as well.
“ Children’ s language is play,” Miller said.“ They often communicate more easily and freely when distracted by play. We read books, too, with characters experiencing similar circumstances. These stories encourage discussion and validate feelings a child might have.”
Child life specialists on Baylor Scott & White’ s supportive and palliative care service ease the experience of children whose parents are seriously ill and help them understand what is happening. They also work with parents, helping them recognize signs of stress and respond to their children’ s questions and concerns.
The specialists even offer scripts, giving adults the words to initiate difficult conversations with their kids.
Last year, Baylor Scott & White’ s Child Life program served more than 2,120 children in North Texas. It’ s free to families and funded by charitable donations.
Shannon’ s condition declined rapidly after nearly two months in the ICU. Caroline arrived at her mom’ s bedside to say she loved her and tell her goodbye. Shannon died 30 minutes later. Miller, working closely with Caroline’ s father, had prepared her for the inevitable. She explained that her mom’ s new heart wasn’ t working right and while the medical team was doing everything they could, she couldn’ t get better. Miller said that Shannon fought hard, but her body was tired and she was going to die.
“ While we want to shelter children, they are very resilient,” Miller said,“ and it’ s important to be open and honest with them, even in the most difficult circumstances.”
To prepare Caroline for her mother’ s funeral, Miller used a miniature casket as a prop. Caroline then did what she does best. With Miller’ s help, she made paper flowers for the casket and to adorn her mother’ s grave.
“ Children’ s language is play. They often communicate more easily and freely when distracted by play.”— Mary Catherine Miller
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