Child life specialists support patient journeys as program expands to specialty services

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 25, 2025) – Hospitals can be overwhelming places for children and are often filled with unfamiliar sights, sounds and experiences. But specialists in the Child Life program at UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) work to make the environment less intimidating.  

Recently, the Child Life program expanded to three additional within KCH: the Pediatric Diagnostic & Infusion Clinic, the Center for Advanced Surgery and the pediatric specialty clinics located at Kentucky Children’s Richmond Road. 

Previously, the Child Life Program only had dedicated specialists in the inpatient acute, progressive and critical care units of KCH, as well as the neonatal intensive care unit and the cardiac care unit. Specialists also assist patients in the Makenna David Pediatric Emergency Center, the DanceBlue Hematology Oncology Clinic and the Children’s Sedation and Procedure Unit.  

Through play, education and emotional support, the Child Life Program helps young patients and their families navigate medical challenges with confidence. Their work goes beyond distraction; it empowers children to understand their medical experiences and cope with them in healthy ways.  

“Every interaction with a Child Life specialist has the potential to change a child’s hospital experience for the better,” said Jennifer Guilliams, director of Child and Family Life at KCH. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Our specialists meet each patient where they are, using play, education and emotional support tailored to their unique needs. With this expansion, more young patients will receive the reassurance and care they deserve, delivered by an extraordinary team committed to making a difference.”

Child Life Specialists, Ashlee Amerine (Center for Advanced Surgery), Ashley Semones (KCH Richmond Road clinics) and Lyndsay Overton (Children’s Diagnostic & Infusion Clinic) shared with UKNow their roles in Child Life program, the strategies they use to ease fears and the impact they have on young patients. 

UKNOW: Describe your roles in the Child Life program. 

Ashlee Amerine: I often tell my families I’m like the “teacher” of the hospital. My role is to help patients and families understand why they are here, teaching them about a diagnosis or a surgery they might be having. My role is also to provide support and normalization to their environment to help aid in coping. I help out with procedures such as IV starts or anesthesia inductions as well as providing support and positive coping to patients as they separate from their parents to go off to surgery. My job is to help make their experience a little less scary, and a little more fun. 

Ashley Semones: I help to prepare, educate, support, distract and play with kids to help reduce stress and anxiety. I know child development very well. There is so much power in play. 

Lyndsay Overton: My role is to help explain to patients and families what is going to happen while they are with us in the Pediatric Infusion & Diagnostic Clinic. Many of these patients and families have been coming for years and know our nursing staff well. These patients have chronic conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, lupus and many others. The patients might come a few days in a row, once a week, once a month or once every six months. It depends on what the doctor’s plan of care is for them. The treatments can take an hour or sometimes all day. I help with IV placements, lab draws, port access/de access and dressing changes to help patients cope, and give activities, games, toys and craft kits to do to help pass the time. 

UKNOW: What inspired you to pursue a career in Child Life? 

Ashlee Amerine: I always loved working with children and had a draw to working in the health care field. I originally thought I may want to be a physician’s assistant, but then changed my path after learning about child life. A family friend is a certified child life specialist in Minnesota and told me about the profession and it felt like it was meant to be for me.  

UKNOW: What unique challenges do children face in specialized medical settings that child life can help address? 

Ashlee Amerine: Children often have misconceptions within the health care environment because most of what they are experiencing is new and unfamiliar. Child life specialists can help children understand through developmentally appropriate language, preparation of pictures and even using medical equipment to play out a procedure they may be having. Helping children understand what will be happening to their bodies can help ease fears. As child life specialists we can also work to normalize the environment such as bringing in familiar toys to play with or help celebrate their birthday.  

UKNOW: What prompted the expansion of Child Life services into specialized areas of care? 

Lyndsay Overton: When the Diagnostic & Infusion Clinic opened in 2023, the request for child life services came from staff, families and patients who had received previous treatments at KCH. The KCH Leadership team advocated for this service for these patients and families who have frequent visits. 

UKNOW: How does your approach change when working with children in specialized medical fields? 

Ashley Semones: Meeting every child and family where they are in a developmentally appropriate way. Doing a child life assessment to figure out what works best for each child and family. Every child is different and has unique things that impact their coping and their journey. 

UKNOW: What strategies do you use to support parents and siblings of children undergoing complex medical treatments? 

Lyndsay Overton: I always try to approach meeting every patient and family with open eyes and ears. I think to myself that maybe I can find something that some other of our medical team missed to better this patients experience. Common strategies are medical play, comfort positions and nonpharmaceutical management techniques. 

UKNOW: Can you share a success story where Child Life interventions made a significant impact in a specialized setting? 

Ashley Semones: I spend half my day with KCH Richmond Road clinics and half my day with Easter Seals (a local nonprofit for children and adults with special health care needs). For the clinics, organizing the Halloween trick-or-treat trail and clinic Christmas market were wonderful holiday events. For Easter Seals, watching kids take their first steps, learn to talk, and daily hugs and smiles. Kids are so amazing, and I am so proud of these kids.

March is Child Life Month, a time to recognize the profound impact of child life specialists on young patients and their families. Their work extends far beyond the walls of a hospital room, turning fear into confidence, uncertainty into strength and hospital stays into opportunities for healing and growth. Through their dedication, every child feels seen, heard and supported when it matters most.

Child life specialists rely on community support to bring comfort and joy to young patients. Learn more about how to support the Child Life Program through monetary or in-kind donations.