Parenting with Cancer: Let Them Be Curious: Empowering Kids with Medical Play
Date: Oct 26, 2023
Time: 10am PST/12CST/1EST
Speaker: Carissa Menard, MS, CCLS, Operations Manager and Certified Child Life Specialist at Hearts Connected LLC
Description: This webinar will cover what medical play is and why it is important for kids to participate, especially when they are exposed to frequent medical experiences themselves or within the home. A Child life specialist, Carissa Menard, will be sharing ways you as a parent can introduce and engage your child in medical play to decrease their misconceptions and fears surrounding your medical experience, and healthcare experiences in general. Through a discussion and demonstration of medical play, parents and guardians will leave with a greater understanding of appropriate language to use and techniques to facilitate assessment and discussion of your child's emotions and understanding. For any parent who is unsure about how much to share with their child or curious to learn new ways to empower and educate their child about their current medical experience utilizing play, this webinar is for you! Carissa will also take time to do a live Q&A for parents and caregivers with specific questions or concerns.
Bio: Carissa has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for 7 years and worked at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego for the majority of her career. She specialized in supporting rehabilitation patients, most often being treated for a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or brain tumor, throughout their lengthy hospitalization and their school and community re-entry. Carissa also has extensive experience working with patients on the respiratory/pulmonary unit, medical surgical units, and intensive care unit. Carissa is passionate about supporting and advocating for children and teens throughout life's many difficult challenges and building upon an individual's resilience. Carissa completed her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Minor in Child Development at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Carissa also earned her Masters of Science in Child Life Specialist from Loma Linda University. Throughout her graduate career, Carissa worked as the Bereavement and Community Educator's assistant, planning and facilitating grief camps for children, and developing grief resources and programming. Carissa now works for Hearts Connected as their Operations Manager, supporting children and families nationwide through virtual child life services.