Child life specialists teach about classmate's illness

Going back to school after cancer treatments can be extremely difficult for a child. At Wesley Children’s Hospital, child life specialists smooth this transition by visiting with the classmates of elementary-school age patients. “We help students understand their peer’s diagnosis and treatments in order to dispel myths — like you can’t catch cancer from playing with your friend — and to hopefully prevent hurtful comments about changes to a patient’s appearance like hair loss,” says child life coordinator Casey Carr.

Carr is one of three child life specialists who lead these school re-entry visits. During the one-hour sessions, Carr uses visual aids to help classmates understand their peer’s diagnosis. “To explain how a cancer like leukemia affects the blood, we place cinnamon candies (for red blood cells), small marshmallows (for white blood cells) and rice (for platelets) into a clear plastic bag,” says Carr. “We then add dried lima beans to represent the cancer cells, and show how those odd-shaped beans leave less room for the good stuff (the candies) which is why their friend might not feel well, or bruise and catch colds easier.”

Students also watch an animated film, Paul and the Dragon, that depicts a young knight battling the “cancer-dragon” with the aid of “medication men” and “chemo-blobs.” The last part of the session is set aside for questions. Parents also receive information along with an FAQ prior to the visit so they can talk to their children about what they learned in school.

Child life specialists offer this in-person service to elementary schools within a 20-mile radius of the hospital. They provide instructional materials to teachers or nurses at schools that are farther away.

Learn more about child life services at Wesley Children’s.