Under the supervision of a CCLS, the new “See the Stars Come Out at Night” Program addresses the unique social and emotional needs of older hospitalized children through organized evening activities such as music, games and arts that foster creativity, team-building and friendly competition among peers in the Activity Center of the Hospital’s Hagedorn Pediatric Inpatient Center. The program operates “after hours” in the evening when the younger patients have returned to their rooms, so that the older pediatric patients have an opportunity to express their feelings, address any fears and share coping strategies in a relaxed atmosphere.

“It has always been our goal as Child Life Specialists to normalize the hospital stay for all of our patients. As such, we wanted to create a program where older patients could socialize among themselves and have a comfortable atmosphere where they could simulate activities that they would participate in outside of the hospital,” said Nicole Almeida, Director of the Child Life Program at Winthrop. “Thanks to the generous support of Starlight Children’s Foundation, we have been able to launch such a program.”

For 25 years, Starlight Children’s Foundation has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Over the years, the Foundation has been an avid supporter of Winthrop’s Child Life Program, providing vital funds to meet the staffing needs of the program and donating items such as entertainment centers equipped with flat-panel televisions, DVD players and Nintendo Wii Systems to provide hours of interactive play for patients.    

A vital component of Winthrop’s Institute for Family Care, the Child Life Program meets the unique needs of children and adolescent patients through supervised play, recreation, education and emotional support. The Program is dedicated exclusively to minimizing children’s fears and anxiety during the hospital experience, and providing emotional support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members.

For more information on Winthrop’s Child Life Program, call 1-866-WINTHROP or visit www.winthrop.org.