Child Life On Call | Medical, Parenting, Healthcare, Grief, Trauma, Pediatrics, Coping Skills, Community & Support

By: Katie Taylor Certified Child Life Specialist
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  • Summary

  • Parents share their journeys and experiences related to having a child with an illness or medical condition. These powerful, and sometimes emotional, stories offer connection in what can typically feel like an isolating world. Visit www.childlifepodcast.com or email info@childlifepodcast.com to share your story.
    2024 Child Life On Call LLC
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Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting & Families Physical Illness & Disease Relationships
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Episodes
  • 242:A Daughter's PCHD19, Autism + Epilepsy Diagnosis: The motivation behind the connected parent-Julie's Story

    242:A Daughter's PCHD19, Autism + Epilepsy Diagnosis: The motivation behind the connected parent-Julie's Story
    Feb 5 2025
    "I had to teach myself to advocate – no one should leave a hospital with more trauma than they came with."- Julie Walters 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 episode, Katie speaks with Julie Walters, a mom of two neurodivergent children, entrepreneur, and fierce advocate for inclusion and health equity.Julie shares her deeply personal journey navigating her daughter's epilepsy diagnosis, the challenges of parenting through complex medical experiences and how these experiences led her to create The Connected Parent – a resource hub empowering families to find critical services for children with medical complexities or neurodivergence. Julie's story is one of strength, determination and advocacy. Key Takeaways we learn from Julie and Katie's Conversation: ✨ Becoming an Advocate Early: Julie's passion for advocacy began in childhood, growing up with a mother who had schizoaffective disorder. She learned how to find resources through persistence and necessity. 💡 Navigating Medical Crises as a Parent: Julie recounts the night she discovered her daughter’s epilepsy through a life-saving baby monitor alert and the emotional toll of multiple seizures, hospital stays, and sleepless nights at the PICU. 🩺 Parent-to-Parent Support: During one of the hardest times in the hospital, another mom introduced Julie to epilepsy resources – reinforcing the power of community and shared experiences. 🌐 Creating The Connected Parent: Julie’s frustration with the lack of easily accessible resources for medical and neurodivergent families led her to create The Connected Parent, a platform like Yelp for finding therapists, schools, camps, and more. 👩‍👧 Involving Her Daughter in the Mission: Julie's daughter, Violet, plays an active role in the platform – from Instagram content to product ideas. Her participation highlights the importance of empowerment and shared purpose. Links & Resources: 🔗 The Connected Parent: Visit TheConnectedParent.net ❤️ Ready to make hospital visits and medical journeys easier for your family? With SupportSpot, you get instant access to expert child life tips, emotional support, and resources right at your fingertips. For the next 7 days, try it FREE and discover how this app can reduce stress, ease your child’s anxiety, and help you feel more prepared every step of the way. Subscribers have the opportunity to sign up for a free visit with a Child Life Specialist at CLOC to help you get the support you need from SupportSpot. Try it for free by clicking this link. 🎙️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. Instagram.com/childlifeoncall Facebook.com/childlifeoncall linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan
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    30 mins
  • 241: How a Kidney Transplant started a mission to help Transplant Families-Cheryl + Kimmy's Story

    241: How a Kidney Transplant started a mission to help Transplant Families-Cheryl + Kimmy's Story
    Jan 22 2025
    “Our goal wasn’t to build something huge overnight – it was to listen to families, fill the gaps, and take that first step.” – Cheryl Whitty 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, Katie sits down with mother-daughter duo, Cheryl Witty and Kimmy Witty to hear the inspiring story of how their family journeyed through chronic kidney disease and how a kidney transplant led to the creation of the Children's Transplant Initiative (CTI). Kimmy shares her personal experience of being diagnosed at age 12, receiving a life-saving kidney transplant, and how that experience fueled her passion for helping other families. Kimmy is now a certified Child Life Specialist and shares how her experiences inspired her to choose this as her career. Cheryl reflects on her journey of being a mother and caregiver and how CTI has grown to provide housing, financial assistance, and mentorship for transplant families across Texas. Cheryl and Kimmy shares her experience transitioning from pediatric to adult care and how the role of parents can shift as their children grow into adulthood. 🔑 Key Points: Kimmy’s Transplant Journey: Diagnosed at 12 with a rare kidney disease, Kimmy received a life-saving transplant from her father, inspiring her passion for helping others. Founding Children’s Transplant Initiative (CTI): Kimmy, Cheryl and Ross created CTI to support transplant families through mentorship, financial aid, and housing programs. Programs and Growth: CTI began by mentoring one family at a time and has grown to provide housing for families in Houston and Austin, with plans to expand to Dallas. Kimmy’s Career Path: Inspired by her experiences, Kimmy is starting as a Child Life Specialist to support children facing medical challenges. Family Strength and Advocacy: Cheryl and Kimmy reflect on resilience, emphasizing how personal experiences can drive advocacy and create lasting impact for others. ✨ Takeaways for Listeners: The importance of starting small—CTI began with just one family in need.Pediatric transplant patients often face lifelong medical journeys, highlighting the need for continued advocacy and resources.Personal experiences can lead to powerful career paths—Kimmy’s journey inspired her to become a Child Life Specialist. 🌐 Links and Resources from today's Episdoe Visit the Children's Transplant Initative's Website to learn more about the incredible resources they offer to families in Texas 📲 Follow CTI on Social Media: InstagramFacebook ❤️ Ready to make hospital visits and medical journeys easier for your family? With SupportSpot, you get instant access to expert child life tips, emotional support, and resources right at your fingertips. For the next 7 days, try it FREE and discover how this app can reduce stress, ease your child’s anxiety, and help you feel more prepared every step of the way. Subscribers have the opportunity to sign up for a free visit with a Child Life Specialist at CLOC to help you get the support you need from SupportSpot. Try it free by clicking this link. 🎙️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. Instagram.com/childlifeoncall Facebook.com/childlifeoncall linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan
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    32 mins
  • 240: How to Stay Calm During Medical Procedures

    240: How to Stay Calm During Medical Procedures
    Jan 13 2025
    In this episode of Child Life On Call, host Katie Taylor, a certified child life specialist, shares personal experiences and practical advice on maintaining calm during your child's medical procedures. Katie recounts a traumatic incident with her daughter, emphasizing the natural parental panic response and how to manage it. She offers three key strategies: getting informed about medical procedures, finding a supportive role during the process, and taking care of your own physical and emotional needs. Katie introduces the Support Spot app as a valuable resource, providing step-by-step guides for over 50 medical procedures. This episode aims to equip parents with the tools and confidence needed to support their children effectively during medical challenges. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Story 02:30 Understanding Parental Panic 03:11 Managing Emotions During Medical Procedures 03:28 Empowering Yourself with Information 04:24 Finding a Role to Play 05:27 Taking Care of Your Needs 06:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 07:53 Support Spot App and Resources 09:24 Closing Remarks When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels! Links and Resources: SupportSpot WebsiteDownload SupportSpot iOS or Android 85% of users report high satisfaction, appreciating the SupportSpot app's comprehensive resources and user-friendly interface.92% of parent users say the SupportSpot app's helped them understand medical procedures and treatment better.80% of parents believe the SupportSpot app's has contributed to better health outcomes for their child.73% of parent users believe the SupportSpot app's 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. Instagram.com/childlifeoncall Facebook.com/childlifeoncall linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan
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    10 mins

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