Child Life Specialists

Completion of an internship in college is highly recommended. Contact the Association of Child Life Professionals for information on obtaining an internship.

To be a successful child life specialist you should enjoy working with people, especially children. You will be part of a health care team, so you must be able to communicate effectively with medical professionals as well as able to communicate with children and their families. You must be creative in order to come up with different ways to explain complicated events, such as a surgery, to a child without frightening him or her. You will also need maturity and emotional stability to deal with situations that may otherwise upset you, such as seeing chronically ill or severely injured children. Those who enjoy this work are able to focus on its positive aspects—helping children and their families through difficult times. Other important traits include empathy, kindness, and strong organizational and time-management skills.