Meet Maddie – Your Child Life Specialist
At Memorial Hospital and Clinics, Maddie (Shutwell) Porter is here to help children and families feel safe, empowered, and supported during medical experiences. As a certified Child Life Specialist, Maddie uses her expertise in child development and therapeutic play to:
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Reduce fear and anxiety related to illness, injury, and hospitalization
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Prepare children for medical procedures using age-appropriate explanations and medical play
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Support siblings and families, helping them understand and cope together
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Offer emotional and developmental support throughout a child’s healthcare journey
Maddie believes in the healing power of play, creativity, and compassion. Her goal is to make the hospital a little less scary — and a lot more supportive.
Want to learn more about how Maddie can help your family? Call 217-357-6582 or email [email protected]
Research & Results
Research shows that when kids know what to expect during medical procedures, they feel less scared and anxious, and they handle things better. Child Life Specialists help kids cooperate more and feel less discomfort during and after procedures. How parents feel and act can affect how kids handle being in the hospital – Supporting parents and family members also helps kids feel better.
Kids today face many stressful and scary things that can be hard to handle. Going to the hospital or dealing with health problems can make kids feel scared, confused, and lonely. This can affect how they grow and feel, both physically and emotionally. Child Life Specialists are trained to help kids cope with these tough situations.
Our Services
Child Life Specialist is a helper who supports kids during medical visits or hospital stays. They make the hospital feel less scary and teach kids how to handle things through play, fun activities, and preparation.
You and your family can ask a Child Life Specialist for help if you need it. They make medical experiences easier to understand and deal with.
Child Life Specialists help kids understand what’s happening during medical visits. They also help kids feel better during medical procedures by using fun activities and exercises. Child life specialists can help kids understand their own or a family member’s treatment and cope with their feelings about it. We help with:
- Pediatric medical preparation
- Pre-surgery teaching
- Support during procedures
- Support for family members
How to Prepare for Surgery
Click below to view an educational video for children & families preparing for a surgery or procedure at Memorial Hospital.
