By: Sarah Merriman
The Survivor
When High Point University sophomore, Chen Elliot, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the fifth grade, she was thrown into a confusing medical world that she did not understand. Doctors spoke in a complicated medical vocabulary that seemed more like a foreign language than English to her and nurses were constantly surrounding her.
Elliot desperately needed clarity to help her through this chaotic and stressful time,and then, she met Terry Spearman. Terry Spearman is the manager of Child Life Services at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC but to Chen Elliot, Terry Spearman was so much more than a staff member.
She said, "Terry was amazing...she was always there as much as she could be and she was so giving of herself." Terry Spearman was by Elliot throughout her sickness and always could cheer the little girl up whether it was through coloring sessions, painting masterpieces, or just as a friend holding her hand throughout her treatment.
Elliot keeps in touch with Terry Spearman to this day and has since donated a painting she made for one of her classes to the hospital,as seen below.
A Mother’s View
Mrs. Elliot, Chen’s mother, who was on the fundraising board for Children’s National Medical Center, had heard of child life but only because the department had asked for money to purchase a new medical doll because one of the children walked away with it. It was not until January 2000, when her daughter was diagnosed with cancer, that she actually met a child life specialist.
Mrs. Elliot said, “Terry came by the office with a medical doll to show Chen what was going to be done and what changes were going to happen to her body and Terry stayed with Chen when they wheeled her into surgery, and I believe waited with her until she was completely under her anesthesia…she’s so fantastic.”
Mrs. Elliot believes it is important for hospitals without child life programs to seriously consider investing in one, especially in a diverse community such as Washington DC, she said, “I remember during Chen’s hospitalization, we opted to not be in a study and there was a Latino family in the room next to us and I could hear that same doctor trying to get them to sign up for the study… they really needed someone to explain to them what they were doing and not just listen and accept what the doctor was telling them…I feel that a child life specialist is especially helpful for situations like that one.”
Mrs.Elliot continues to serve for the fundraising board at Children’s National Medical Center and still keeps in touch with Terry Spearman to this day, firmly believing that, “Terry was very much a key part of Chen’s whole process of getting well.”
One Amazing Child Life Specialist
Terry Spearman’s journey into child life started by serving as a guidance counselor for a local junior high school, working as a group home counselor for adolescent females and then working as a child care technician on the inpatient psychiatry unit. Ms. Spearman said,” I knew I wanted to do something that affected kids in their mental and emotional health but I wasn’t sure, so I was just playing around with my bachelor’s degree.”
Ms.Spearman decided she wanted to be a child life specialist after observing their work at a hospital. “I was intrigued by this fascinating work…I had to find out more.” She wanted to know what a child life specialist was and what did they do?
Well rehearsed in her career years later, Ms.Spearman is able to share that, “A child life specialist is someone who works in health care that focuses on the emotional and developmental needs of children and families. We use play and other forms of communication to help reduce the stress associated with the health care experience or their hospitalization and hopefully by providing them with different types of ways that they can cope, we will help them have a positive hospital experience.”
Child life specialists use play, medical play, and therapeutic relaxation techniques to make a child feel more comfortable while they are being treated. For example, Ms.Spearman likes to tell children they are getting, “a poke”, instead of a shot, and a “hug” instead of a squeeze from their blood pressure cuff.
Ms. Spearman recalls her amazement at the childrens' infinite compassion and resilience, “I had a little boy years ago who was dying from aids, you know he was so sick, and in pain but he still wanted to get up and play; he still wanted to play. That was just amazing to me.”
The Facts
Child life specialists also work with the entire family, to help them understand the process clearly. They work with siblings to make sure they do not feel left out and as Ms. Spearman said, “and to make sure they do not feel abandoned or ignored while their brother or sister is going through this and getting all the attention; they need to know why what they are doing is so important.”
Child life specialists earn an average of $36,000 according to the Child Life Council. Ms.Spearman said that the numbers really depend on what region you work in because the cost of living is different everywhere. Children’s National Medical Center’s entry level salary was recently increased to $43,000.
In order to become a child life specialist, students need to take courses that offer child development curriculum and eventually achieve a bachelors in early childhood education, child development, psychology or, sociology. There is also a rigorous certification program done through the Child Life Council that requires nearly 500 hours of internship. Though not required, many employers prefer applicants to have a master’s degree because it makes the applicant more competitive in the field today.
The child life field is a very emotionally intense one. It takes a very strong-willed person who has a true love of helping children and others to be successful. It is important to keep in mind that most of the children child life specialists work with, will not survive much longer. Chen Elliot’s case is an amazing feat and the two,of course, keep in touch to this day.
To anyone considering becoming a child life specialist, Ms. Spearman said, “Helping children is nothing to sneeze at. It’s an incredible opportunity to be that close to families and kids and to feel like you’re able to help in some way; it’s a really special job." She takes a breath and with sincere honesty in her voice, adds,“ I love my job.”
Child Life Fact Sheet
American Brain Tumor Association
Below is some audio clips of Terry Spearman's responses in her interview.
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