How Parents Can Stay Calm During Medical Procedures

How Parents Can Stay Calm During Medical Procedures

Author: Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist January 13, 2025 Duration: 10:15

In this episode of Child Life On Call, host Katie Taylor, a certified child life specialist, shares personal experiences and practical advice on maintaining calm during your child's medical procedures. Katie recounts a traumatic incident with her daughter, emphasizing the natural parental panic response and how to manage it.

She offers three key strategies: getting informed about medical procedures, finding a supportive role during the process, and taking care of your own physical and emotional needs. Katie introduces the Support Spot app as a valuable resource, providing step-by-step guides for over 50 medical procedures.

This episode aims to equip parents with the tools and confidence needed to support their children effectively during medical challenges.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Story

02:30 Understanding Parental Panic

03:11 Managing Emotions During Medical Procedures

03:28 Empowering Yourself with Information

04:24 Finding a Role to Play

05:27 Taking Care of Your Needs

06:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

07:53 Support Spot App and Resources

09:24 Closing Remarks 

When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels!

Links and Resources:

  • 85% of users report high satisfaction, appreciating the SupportSpot app's comprehensive resources and user-friendly interface.
  • 92%  of parent users say the SupportSpot app's helped them understand medical procedures and treatment better.
  • 80% of parents believe the SupportSpot app's has contributed to better health outcomes for their child.
  • 73% of parent users believe the SupportSpot app's has made them feel more empowered to advocate for their child in healthcare

Learn more here.

Meet the host: 

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform designed to provide parents, kids, and the care team with access to child life services tools and resources. She is a certified child life specialist with over 13 years of experience working in various pediatric healthcare settings. Katie is the author of the children's book, and has presented on the topics of child life and entrepreneurship, psychosocial care in the hospital, and supporting caregivers in the NICU setting both nationally and internationally. She is also the host of the Child Life On Call Podcast which features interviews with parents discussing their experiences throughout their child's medical journey. The podcast emphasizes the crucial role of child life services in enabling caregivers both at and beyond the bedside.

Instagram.com/childlifeoncall

Facebook.com/childlifeoncall

linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan

 


Hosted by Katie Taylor, a Certified Child Life Specialist, Inside the Children's Hospital is a quiet space for the often unspoken journey of pediatric illness. This podcast moves beyond the clinical to explore the human heart of the hospital, offering conversations that feel more like a shared cup of coffee in a waiting room than a formal interview. You'll hear directly from parents and caregivers who articulate the complex mix of fear, resilience, and love they experience, while pediatric nurses, doctors, and therapists provide their unique professional perspectives on fostering healing and normalcy. The discussions naturally delve into the practicalities of family life disrupted, the emotional weight carried by all involved, and the small, profound moments of hope that sustain people. It’s a resource for anyone connected to a child’s health challenge, whether you're a family member seeking solidarity, a friend looking to understand, or simply someone interested in the intersection of medicine and humanity. Each episode aims to validate the listener's own feelings, whether they are in the midst of a crisis or reflecting on one, by presenting these authentic narratives without sugarcoating yet always with profound compassion. Tune in to find a sense of community and a deeper appreciation for the delicate, powerful work happening within those walls.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inside the Children's Hospital
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