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BMWgirl:

For the longest time I wanted to be head of child life when I grew up...

 

 

I'm not an ex-duponter, but I am going to be the head of child life somewhere someday. I'm in school now and that's my degree. Family Studies & Community Development w/a concentration in child life. I think hospitals are fun. Even some PWDs that I know think I'm nuts,

Cool beans! Though, I must say...

 There's a difference between "child life" and "Child Life"....... 

"Child Life" is ONLY at DuPont......and it is a magical land of happiness...and stuffed animals. 

 

I think you should definitely apply. 

I think hosptials are fun too.  I never was admitted as a child but did go to work with my dad at different hospitals growing up and they were always some of my favorite places.  I love working in a children's hosptial now.

 

Our child life is good but we don't have NEARLY enough people in the department yet.  I'm forever putting in child life "consults" for my patients if they are stuck in their rooms or bored out of their minds.

Nightengale:

Our child life is good but we don't have NEARLY enough people in the department yet.  I'm forever putting in child life "consults" for my patients if they are stuck in their rooms or bored out of their minds.

 

I don't know of one hospital that has enough CCLS on staff. We're certified, not liscenced, so we can't bill for our services. Our salaries come strictly out of the operating budget, so we are always the first to get cut. That is unfortunate, as we have the power to help so many. Our scope of practice is larger then most realize. Siblings of NICU babies, children of seriously ill adults... We don't just live in peds. We do so much...

 Sorry I hijacked the thread.

By my last admission at the age of 16 I wasn't a fan of Child Life.  I was depressed and wanted to be left alone to watch Geraldo in my room.   I didn't want any parts of any of it, it was for kids, I was an adult, in my mind.   My PT who was always in my corner tried to get me to volunteer in the playroom to put it on my college aplications.  She was like there could be something positive to come out of this crappy situation.  Now I see that was a good idea but at the time-nope, just leave me alone.

 

 I think they need to do more for teens.  But when I was three, man I thought that playroom was the happiest place on earth.  I'd call it (Dupont) the playroom and Ice cream treat place when I was in pre-school..

 

It's cool that your going to school for that.  By 15 I was worried that I'd never find a Play therapy job so I  forgot about it.  I  majoref in business-I still can't find a job!  So maybe I should have listened to  my inner 12 y/o.:)

HI MY NAME  IS SHERRY lilkitten303 I TO HAVE  the same problem   I'm  living in Denver Col. and have had no success at finding a doctor that has any idea how to treat adult CP.the only place i know that has good  doctors for cp is SAN  DIEGO CALIF where i grew up and i don't want to move back with my mom even though i love her I'm 52 and  i just can't picture living with my mom  have ya tried the easter seals or  united cerebral palsy foundation good luck in your search for a doctor sherry

 

Hi Fran I have CP and am an adult.  If you manage to find a doctor that specialises in adults with CP you have vertually achieved the impossible.  I enquired for such a doctor here in the UK and was told quite frankly they do not exist - period.  I was given the option of going over to Poland but not to see a specialist but to take part in a programme for CPs that had been developed in Poland.

 I am not surprised you are having problems because CPs who walk are not suppose to be still walking after 21.  I am still walking 'just' and I am 52.  I am also not surprised that the CP thread holds the most postings.  That's probably becasue CP is the most common disability in the world apparently.  In the UK as far as disabilities go, CP is supposedly extremely high amongst the population.

 It would be interesting to see if this is true and if it is, more the reason for the need for doctors that specialise in adults with CP

 Keep us posted Fran on your mission.

I saw Dr. Mary Ann Kenan this past week, AND her partner, Dr. Helen Horstmann. (both at HUP in PA) Let me just say that Dr. Helen Horstmann was PHENOMENAL; intuitive, caring...really "gets it", and did a very thorough exam for a diagnosis...very Dupont-like! I have seen 6 doctors for CP problems and she was only the second one to get me off the exam table and have me walk around the floor so she could get the "complete picture". I was very impressed with her and am so sad that she does not do surgeries!