Health Tips - Play Therapy
A pediatric surgeon is available for your questions and consultations: (361) 694-4700
Play Therapy
What is play therapy?
Play therapy is used to help meet the emotional needs of children who have an illness or surgery that requires hospitalization. Being in the hospital is stressful for children and their families. Sometimes, children feel scared, confused, and out of control. Play therapy is used to help children understand and cope with illness, surgery, hospitalization, treatments, and procedures.
What is the goal of play therapy?
The goal of play therapy is to provide a family-centered approach to help your child adjust to hospital care. A child life specialist can help meet the emotional needs of children in the hospital by getting to know your child, giving him/her a chance to express themselves, and allowing him/her to adjust to being in the hospital through play therapy. Parents of infants are offered a chance to learn new skills to comfort their baby and ways they can encourage their baby's continued development while their baby is recovering in the hospital.Child life specialists can help your child and the other children in your family with:
- play activities to prepare your child for medical procedures and
learn about his/her surgery.
- relaxation and pain management skills.
- providing a opportunity for your child to express his/her feelings
through normal play.
- brother/sister needs:
- Children at home may be worried about their brother or sister who
is in the hospital. They may be upset because mom and dad are away
from them more than usual. The child life specialist can help you to
answer questions you may have about any brothers/sisters at home.
- Visiting the hospital can also be stressful for brothers and sisters. The child life specialist can help prepare brothers and sisters before they visit so they can understand what they see and how they feel before and after their visit to their sibling in the hospital.
- Children at home may be worried about their brother or sister who
is in the hospital. They may be upset because mom and dad are away
from them more than usual. The child life specialist can help you to
answer questions you may have about any brothers/sisters at home.
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Contact Information
P. Stephen Almond, MD - See also Pediatric Renal Transplant
Pediatric SurgeonMohammad Ali Emran, MD
Pediatric SurgeonJennifer Garza, MD - (956) 688-1280
Pediatric SurgeonAmbrosio Hernandez, MD - (956) 688-1280
Pediatric SurgeonChildren's Surgical Services Main Office
3533 S. Alameda Furman Bldg, 3rd Floor
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Phone: 361-694-4700
Fax: (361) 694-4701
Hours: 8:30 am to 5:30 pmFor appointments, assistance, and physician referrals in Corpus Christi:
Phone: (361) 694-4700 or
Toll Free Phone: (800) DCH-LOVE
Fax (361) 694-4701
For appointments, assistance, and physician referrals in Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, Laredo, or Victoria:
Toll Free Phone: (800) 525-TOTS or
Brownsville Fax: (956) 982-2445
McAllen Fax: (956) 668-7646
Harlingen Fax: (956) 412-3357
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Corpus Christi, Texas
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