November 25, 2019
Making NICU Easier Through Music
By uclahealth 
“I will ask the parents to write a poem or letter to their baby,” explains Esteban Roa, a music therapy fellow at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. “We’ll take some of those words and put them to music. We have different approaches to creating a lullaby, and one is lyric substitution. We’ll ask the parents or […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, featured, music therapy, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
November 22, 2019
By uclahealth
“I started watching music therapy videos online and was really inspired,” recalls Grace Pak, a music therapy intern at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. “I have always loved music and serving others. Music therapy puts my two favorite things together. It’s a privilege for me to spend time with these families and patients. It’s an honor […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, featured, music therapy, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
November 21, 2019
Providing Healing Through Music
By uclahealth
“I’m a vocalist, but as part of my music therapy training, I learned how to play percussion, the guitar, and the keyboard,” explains Amira Gill, a music therapy intern at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. “Music therapy is using your skills as a musician to reach certain clinical goals assigned by the hospital for the patients. […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, featured, music therapy, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
March 28, 2019
A Day in the Life: Child Life Specialists in the Operating Room
By uclahealth
While no day is ever the same, today will be an extra-busy day for Karleen Wray, Child Life Specialist II at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital / Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Early arrival is typical for Karleen. Her commute, a quick 20 minutes, but with a 5:30 am start time, traffic is barely a concern—a […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, Child Life Month, child life specialist, featured, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
December 5, 2016
Making the ordinary possible for pediatric patients
By uclahealth
No child wants to spend days in the hospital, let alone weeks or months. Yet that’s the reality for many pediatric patients battling chronic or life-threatening conditions at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. “When you work every day with medically fragile children, you get to know them and their families really well,” says Nancy Hayes, manager […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, chronic illness, donate, donating, Everyday Wish Fund, hospitalized children, Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, pediatric patients
June 19, 2016
How can I protect my child from dehydration?
By uclahealth
Dehydration is a very common heat-related condition, and can be a dangerous consequence of diarrhea, vomiting and fever. In the most severe instances, dehydration can be life-threatening if left untreated. “Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water and salts than it replenishes,” says Carlos Lerner, MD, medical director of the UCLA Children’s Health Center. […]
Tags: carlos lerner md, Chase Child Life Program, childrens health, dehydration, drinking, fluids, health tips, heat stroke, heat wave, hydrated, thirst, thirsty
May 13, 2016
Why parents need a hospital playroom too
By Amy Albin 
Everyone knows that, for kids, being in the hospital is no fun. That’s why UCLA Health’s child life specialists make sure hospitalized kids still get to be kids. They staff playrooms, orchestrate social events and bring movies and games to kids’ bedsides. Now, child life experts nationwide are recognizing that kids’ parents, who are stressed […]
Tags: adult caregivers, Chase Child Life Program, child life specialists, children’s health, family resource room, family-centered care, Kellye Carroll, Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, pediatric patient, Shannon Allbright, volunteer
March 6, 2016
Best learning toys for kids at every age
By uclahealth
The first time your baby sits up. The first time your toddler starts to take little steps. The first time your child makes a friend in school. All those beautiful moments are thrilling for parents to witness, and mark crucial developmental stages for every child to reach. Kellye Carroll, director of the Chase Child […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, children, developmental stages, infants, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, milestones, motor skills, newborns, preschool, preschoolers, school age children, toddlers
January 25, 2016
By uclahealth
“It will be interesting trying to motivate him to go home because he’s had such a great time. He has blueberry pancakes every morning for breakfast,” says John Matise, father to 6-year-old Zachary Matise. Zachary’s mother, Ann Matise, adds, “He had surgery on his appendix Friday night. He has to get rid of a fever […]
Tags: appendix, Chase Child Life Program, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA
January 18, 2013
By Shannon 
Meet Devany! She was born with a severe cleft lip, palate, and unspecified anomaly of her left eye. She is 7 years old & has had 13 procedures in her little life so far, all of which have been done at UCLA. Everyone is always so comforting! It’s not easy having a little one or […]
Tags: Chase Child Life Program, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, nurses & staff, patient stories, UCLA physicians
