Children's Services and Community Engagement
Patients & Visitors
Hospitalization can be a frightening experience for a child and a challenging event for a family. For this reason, Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children offers services designed to support the “whole child” — body, mind and spirit — by addressing each patient’s emotional, developmental, social and educational needs.
Several programs within our Children’s Services and Community Engagement department provide unique therapeutic and personal support for patients to provide the best possible hospital experience. These programs include Child Life, Music Therapy, Healing Arts and Patient Academics. The teams that work within these programs recognize that hospitalization can present challenges for children and their families, not only because of the physical implications but also because of the emotional impacts that can surround that experience.
Supporting each child’s unique needs and circumstances, our services include:
- Education to prepare patients and their families for their medical encounter
- Coaching to help patients develop strategies for coping with their circumstances
- Activities that promote resilience and self-esteem through exploration of play, music and the arts.
- Academic support during an extended school absence
- Partnering with our community to bring unique services and programs to help enhance the patient and family experience
Team members from each of these programs work together to promote positive experiences and quality healthcare outcomes for infants, children, teens and their families. To learn more, please explore the pages in this section, or call (321) 841-1479.
Child Life Program
Every single child is unique. And, when facing a medical experience, every child and their family will have different needs. Our Child Life Program is dedicated to helping each child have the best healthcare experience possible through education, play and personalized support.
Child Life Internship and Practicum
The child life internship program at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is a concentrated, full-time placement where students gain practical, hands-on experience under the direction of a certified child life specialist.
Arnold Palmer Hospital Young Adult Programming
It can be tough to be a teen or young adult in a pediatric hospital. Your Child Life team has created a variety of opportunities to engage, connect and lead at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Click the links below to learn more!
Healing Arts Program
Practicing some form of creative arts is an inspiring and motivating part of many children’s lives. It can be even more impactful and beneficial in times of illness and stress, such as during a hospitalization.
Music Therapy
Music is a universal language that can offer healing effects. In fact, music therapy is a research-based profession that benefits the emotional, social, psychological and physical needs of hospitalized patients. Music can help kids manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory and improve communication while promoting general wellness and healing.
Patient Academics
Spending time in the hospital can be an emotionally challenging experience for children. And extended or unplanned time away from school can create added stress. To help reduce that burden, we offer academic support through a certified teacher, who can provide assistance when a child or teen will miss school for more than three weeks.
Preparing for Surgery
Surgery and hospitalization can be a very frightening experience for a child of any age. At Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, we have found that offering just the right amount of careful, honest preparation before admission can help your child cope more positively with these experiences.
Community Engagement
It’s our goal that every child has a positive experience at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Our Child Life Program utilizes a variety of items — from craft supplies and toys to snacks and gift cards — to make that happen. To have a supply of these materials at hand, we welcome donations from the community. Please see our Wish List below for needed items.
