March 27, 2008
Pediatric blankets donated to St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital in honor of Child Life Month

The Woodlands, TX — When eight-year-old Savannah Martin had surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital, she was comforted by a blanket that a Child Life Specialist handed her.  She was so inspired by the effect of the simple gesture that she vowed to her mother that she would make blankets to donate for other children.

“I’ll never forget how that soft green blanket really brightened things up for me and helped to heal,” explained Savannah.  “I knew right then that I wanted other kids to have blankets to help them feel the same way when they are at the hospital.”

Savannah brought together her Morningstar’s 4H group in a Community Service Project to help make blankets for pediatric patients.  The Wal-Mart Superstore in Conroe donated a $40 gift card for fabric and Savannah earned the rest of the money.  Together, with a little teamwork, the group turned out 21 colorful themes for infants, children, and teenagers.

Her mother, Holly Martin, explained, “This was all Savannah’s idea and it was very important to her.  Right after she got home from the hospital, she began telling me about what she wanted to do and started organizing her plans.”

Savannah, along with her mother and team of helpers, recently came out to St. Luke’s St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital (SLTWH) to donate the 21 blankets to the hospital’s pediatric center.

On hand to accept the donation was Nicole Rosburg, a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) for SLTWH and Texas Children’s Hospital.  This unique field of a Child Life Specialist is dedicated to helping children through their healthcare experiences.
 
“Coming to the hospital, especially the emergency room can be very traumatic for a young child,” said Rosburg.  “Our job is to help reduce their anxiety by explaining the tests and procedures and what’s going to happen to them in developmentally appropriate terms.

“We aim to reduce the stress and fear for children and families by providing  information to help them understand illnesses and facilitating chances for expressing feelings.  This is an invaluable service because doctors and nurses often don’t have time to explain everything thoroughly, especially in an emergency situation, and parents sometimes struggle with the right words to use to explain to their children while they themselves are trying to cope with a traumatic situation.”

The month of March is designated as National Child Life Month.  According to their web site at www.ChildLife.org, some tips for communicating with a child about healthcare experiences include:

• Keep in mind the child’s previous experiences (both positive and negative).
• Use concrete language to explain what will happen during a procedure, and described in terms of sites smells, sounds, tastes, and feelings.
• Be honest if something is going to hurt let them know and explain what to expect (for example, how long it will take, what it will feel like, what they can do to help.)
• Get down to the child’s physical level.  They will feel more comfortable and able to communicate better with you.
• Avoid words that have multiple meanings (such as dye, shot, flush, gas).

St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital is located at 17200 St. Luke’s Way in The Woodlands, at the southwest corner of SH 242 and I-45.  For more information, please call (936) 266-2000 or visit www.stlukeswoodlands.com.