Alyssa Stewart, child life specialist, was always interested in helping children. After graduating from Liberty University with her degree in child development and psychology, she took a job as the interim director of programs at Pure Mission, working as a caregiver and guardian for children in Malawi, Africa, while also overseeing daily operations of Esther’s House orphanage, 12 local feeding centers and a program for widows. “Those six months were life changing because it put into perspective what I wanted in my life and career,” she says.
Stewart returned to the United States, looking for a job that allowed her to feel as fulfilled as when she was helping the vulnerable population in Malawi. She heard of child life services during college and decided to pursue a clinical internship with Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. After completing the internship, Stewart happily accepted a position as a child life specialist at the Children’s Center, stationed in the emergency department.
A child life specialist’s goal is to reduce stress and anxiety for infants, youths and teens, usually through a variety of interventions including preparation, diagnostic education and therapeutic play, which is a focused activity that promotes emotional expression or normal development in a specific area.
Stewart’s top priority is children in the emergency department who face significant medical trauma or alleged abuse. “I help them establish positive coping skills for their time in the hospital, as well as for future events,” she says.
Child life provides Stewart with immense career satisfaction, but she faces many challenges. “I think the hardest part of my job is knowing I can’t help everyone,” she says. The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center emergency department is open 24/7, and coverage is provided by two specialists working 10-hour shifts. The department might see up to 100 patients each day. Stewart lauds the great multidisciplinary team that works with her to aid as many children as possible.
Stewart and her child life specialist peers work with other departments if their schedule allows. She believes Johns Hopkins would greatly benefit from growing the number of child life specialists, not only in the Children’s Center’s emergency department but also across numerous hospital departments. “The need for psychosocial support for our pediatric patients is crucial to ensure healthy coping while in the hospital as well as during future medical experiences,” she says.
