231: Child Life Specialist Secrets: Flu Shot Prep Strategies Every Parent Should Know
Release Date: 10/07/2024
237: Holding Space for Hope : The Final Episode of 2024
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
"Hope isn't about avoiding the hard truths. It's about staying grounded in them and still believing that something good is possible."- Katie Taylor In this final episode of 2024, Katie dives deep into the meaning of hope, exploring its role in navigating challenges for parents, children and Child Life Specialists. Reflecting on personal experiences and heartfelt conversations with families, this episode unpacks how hope isn’t blind optimism but a source of strength that coexists with pain and uncertainty. With stories, reflections, and an invitation to carry hope into the new year,...
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236: The Mix of Joy & Grief through Medical Parenting (autism, lissencephaly and lennox gastaut syndrome) – Joanne's Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
"Life is always in the mix of joy and grief, and those things coexist. But this is how I’m going to deal with it." - Joanne De Simone In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, Joanne De Simone shares her journey as a parent raising two sons with disabilities. From navigating her eldest son Benjamin’s rare brain malformation, lissencephaly and complex medical needs to supporting her younger son Sebastian, who is on the autism spectrum. Joanne discusses the challenges, victories, and personal growth she’s experienced. As a mother and special education teacher, and now an...
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235: A Mother’s Journey of Love, Loss, and Resilience (crohn's and ulcerative colitis) - Kathy's Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
“If anybody was to ask me what is one of my biggest strengths, I have to tell them it's resilience… You can throw almost anything at me and I can handle it. I mean, there isn't anything any bigger in this world than losing a child.”-Kathy In this heartfelt episode, Katie Taylor sits down with Kathy, a mother who shares her journey of raising and caring for her daughter Lauren through multiple medical challenges and eventual passing. Kathy’s story is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. Kathy reflects on the emotional, physical, and logistical challenges of managing long hospital...
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234: Expert Child Life Tips for Supporting Children Through an Upper GI Procedure
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
Today's episode is dedicated to the loving memory of Dr. Meredith Hitch, a cherished pediatric gastroenterologist at Ochsner Baton Rouge. “You want to make sure that you are ready to be able to prepare not only yourself but your kiddo.” - Emily Martinec, CCLS In this episode host Katie Taylor chats with Emily Martinec, another experienced Child Life Specialist. These two dive into the complexities of preparing children for an upper GI procedure. They provide valuable insights and practical tips for both parents and fellow specialists, sharing lessons learned from their...
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233: From NICU Nurse to NICU Mom: Premature Twins born at 33 weeks - Brittney’s Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast, 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a solution for your child. Especially if your child has food allergies or has a condition or illness, you want to feel good about the products you are selecting for your child. To me, finding a company whose products have the highest quality and natural ingredients is really important. Begin Health®’s flagship product, Growing Up Prebiotics, is a tasteless, textureless fine powder that easily mixes into water, juice, or smoothies. This...
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232: Preparing and Supporting your child: A son with Breath Holding Spells-Alessandra's Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast, 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a solution for your child. Especially if your child has food allergies or has a condition or illness, you want to feel good about the products you are selecting for your child. To me, finding a company whose products have the highest quality and natural ingredients is really important. Begin Health®’s flagship product, Growing Up Prebiotics, is a tasteless, textureless fine powder that easily mixes into water, juice, or smoothies. This makes...
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231: Child Life Specialist Secrets: Flu Shot Prep Strategies Every Parent Should Know
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
Child Life Specialist Secrets: Flu Shot Prep Strategies Every Parent Should Know Thank you to the sponsor of today's podcast: In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, hosts Katie Taylor and Emily Martinec, both certified child life specialists, discuss strategies for preparing, supporting, and responding to children during flu shots. The conversation extends to other medical experiences, offering developmentally appropriate ways to engage children. They emphasize collaboration with medical professionals, highlight coping techniques, and provide resources like the Support Spot app...
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230: Navigating Childhood Cancer: Supporting families through her own experience - Heather's Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
230: Navigating Childhood Cancer: Supporting families through her own experience - Heather's Story "We’ve joined a club that nobody wants to be a part of, but the good part is we have the best members." A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast, 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a solution for your child. Especially if your child has food allergies or has a condition or illness, you want to feel good about the products you are selecting for your child. To me, finding a company whose products have the highest quality and...
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229: Trusting your parental Instincts when addressing your child's chronic pain- A son with Juvenile Arthritis- Kim’s Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
"Trust your gut. If your parent radar comes up and says this is not right, keep pushing." – Kim In this episode, Katie Taylor speaks with Kim Miller, a mother whose journey navigating her son Grant’s diagnoses of juvenile arthritis reshaped her life. Kim shares how her relentless advocacy led her family through unimaginable challenges, including managing chronic pain and finding the right medical care. Her inspiring story unfolds from the hardships of watching her son struggle to walk, to his incredible transformation into an NFL player. The episode highlights the critical role of...
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228: Early Diagnosis, Advocacy and Equity: A daughter with Cystic Fibrosis- Nikki's Story
Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support
"We are the experts on our daughter and we deserve a say, and we deserve to be given the time to ask questions." – Nikki DeLeo We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsor for this episode, Gebauer PainEase®. We are pleased to provide more information about this product, and we invite you to learn more by visiting their website. In this heartfelt episode, host and Certified Child Life Specialist Katie Taylor speaks with Nikki DeLeo, a mother of Taylor, her daughter who has Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Katie and Nikki discuss Nikki’s journey navigating her daughter Taylor's...
info_outlineChild Life Specialist Secrets: Flu Shot Prep Strategies Every Parent Should Know
Thank you to the sponsor of today's podcast: Begin Health
In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, hosts Katie Taylor and Emily Martinec, both certified child life specialists, discuss strategies for preparing, supporting, and responding to children during flu shots.
The conversation extends to other medical experiences, offering developmentally appropriate ways to engage children. They emphasize collaboration with medical professionals, highlight coping techniques, and provide resources like the Support Spot app and a digital flu shot preparation course for parents. The focus is on empowering parents and creating a positive healthcare experience for children.
00:00 Introduction to Flu Shot Preparation
01:10 Empowering Parents and Respecting Medical Professionals
03:05 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Shots
04:08 Practical Tips for Flu Shot Day
09:31 Pain Management Techniques
21:07 Post-Shot Processing and Recovery
24:37 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels!
- 85% of users report high satisfaction, appreciating the Child Life On Call App’s comprehensive resources and user-friendly interface.
- 92% of parent users say the Child Life On Call App helped them understand medical procedures and treatment better.
- 80% of parents believe the Child Life On Call App has contributed to better health outcomes for their child.
- 73% of parent users believe the Child Life On Call App has made them feel more empowered to advocate for their child in healthcare
Learn more here.
Meet the host:
Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform designed to provide parents, kids, and the care team with access to child life services tools and resources. She is a certified child life specialist with over 13 years of experience working in various pediatric healthcare settings. Katie is the author of the children's book, and has presented on the topics of child life and entrepreneurship, psychosocial care in the hospital, and supporting caregivers in the NICU setting both nationally and internationally. She is also the host of the Child Life On Call Podcast which features interviews with parents discussing their experiences throughout their child's medical journey. The podcast emphasizes the crucial role of child life services in enabling caregivers both at and beyond the bedside.