Want to Help Sick Kids?

By Marty Nemko

Imagine that your child has a serious illness and must move from home to hospital for a long stay. The child life specialist's job is to help a child adapt to living without parents and to psychologically prepare for scary medical encounters. Child life specialists also help ensure that these kids get an education and a bit of fun in their lives. Because child life services are often mandated by hospital accreditation agencies, jobs are available, at least for graduates of top training programs such as that at Boston's Wheelock College.