1. Providing Developmentally Appropriate Care to Pediatric Patients
Your name, institution, date etc.

2. Introduction
State the purpose of the discussion
Identify yourself

3. Topics of Discussion Developmental Stages Child Friendly Interactions
Language Issues
Area Specific Procedures
Child Life Specialists and Preparation

4. Developmental Stages Infants (0-12 months) Toddlers (1-2 years)
Pre-schoolers (2-5 years)
School Aged Children (6-10 years)
Adolescents (11-18 years)

5. Infants (0-12 months) Physical Learning/Psychological
Totally dependent on adults to meet their needs
Learning/Psychological
Learn by use of their senses and through activity
Enjoys play with people and objects

6. Infants (0-12 months) Psycho-social Recognizes familiar faces
Uses crying, body language, and tone of voice to convey wants/needs
Derives pleasure
Feeding situations
Being held or rocked
Tactile stimulation

7. Infants (0-12 months) Fears
Greatest fear is the fear of separation from caregiver
After age 6 months, infants are afraid of strangers

8. Toddlers (1-2 years) Physical Psycho-social
Developing control of body (i.e. walking, toilet training)
Psycho-social
Increasing independence
Enjoys exploring environment in the presence of the primary caregiver
Stranger anxiety can be great in some toddlers

9. Toddlers (1-2 years) Learning/psychological
Developing a sense of object permanence
Beginning sense of time
Magical thinking
Short attention span
Follows simple directions
Increasing vocabulary

10. Toddlers (1-2 years) Fears Separation Loss of control Pain
Altered rituals
Beginning to relate cause and effect, but no real concept of fear

11. Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Physical
Increasing fine motor skills
Gross motor skills becoming more coordinated

12. Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Psycho-social
Intense need for caregiver when under stress
Initiates activities rather than just imitating others
Developing social behavior
Greater autonomy and independence
Likes dramatic and imaginative play

13. Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Learning/Psychological
Ego-centric – view experiences from own perspective
Increasing vocabulary and clearness of speech
No logical or abstract thought
Difficulty distinguishing between reality and fantasy

14. Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Fears
Mutilation
Loss of control
Death
The dark
May see illness/injury as punishment for “bad” behavior (still egocentric)

15. School-age Children (6-10 years)
Physical
Increasing fine motor skills
Psycho-social
Still needs caregiver in times of stress
May be unwilling to ask for help
Successes contribute to positive self-esteem and self-control
Establishing same sex peer groups

16. School-age Children (6-10 years)
Learning/Psychological
Age of accomplishment
Increasing competence and mastery of new skills
Beginning of logical thought
Deductive reasoning develops
Interested in learning about body functions
Interprets phrase and idioms at face value

17. School-age Children (6-10 years)
Fears
Separation from friends
Loss of control
Physical disability

18. Adolescents (11-18 years) Physical Psycho-social
Developing mature sexual orientation
Psycho-social
Transition from childhood to adulthood
Quest for independence : can lead to family dissension
Acutely aware of body appearance and imperfections
May view illness in terms if change in appearance and function
Peers are important fro psychological support and social development

19. Adolescents (11-18 years) Learning/Psychological
Can imagine the consequences of actions and illness
Concept of time well developed
Memory fully developed
Beginning to think about concepts outside own experiences

20. Adolescents (11-18 years) Fears Change in appearance Dependency
Loss of control
Separation from peers

21. Child Friendly Interactions
Get on the child’s level
Introduce yourself and your role
Unknown people are threatening
Only give choices where choices exist
Do not make promises you cannot keep
Appearances can be deceiving – DON’T ASSUME

22. Language Issues Be careful of medical terms we take for granted
You do not have to say it hurts
Do not use the phrases
“Be a big girl/boy”
“Big girls/boys don’t cry”
Talk to the patient and explain what you are doing
Use descriptive words

23. Area Specific Procedures / Real Life
Give an example or real life anecdote
Sympathize with the audience’s situation if appropriate
Give area specific guidelines/advice
Take questions about specific situations

24. Child Life Discuss your role and how you can help
Let staff know when you available and how to contact you
Discuss possible teaching/preparation tools

25. What This Means
Add a strong statement that summarizes how you feel or think about this topic
Summarize key points you want you audience to remember

26. Next Steps Summarize any actions required of your audience
Summarize any follow up action items required by you