Jena Benoit is a certified Child Life Specialist in Duluth. She visited WDIO on Monday to share more about her role. "To increase positive coping with children and families. That can look a lot of different ways, depending on the patient and what they're there for."

She told us that some of the things they work on are psycho-social preparation before procedures, support and distraction during procedures, and diagnosis teaching. "We wear a lot of different hats," she said.

"Often times when we are preparing children for surgery, we show them the actual medical equipment, so they can explore it in a safe space. So we'll show them the IV catheter. One of the things using a lot lately, for immunizations, for lab draws or IV starts, is Buzzy. Buzzy vibrates, and goes between the pain and the brain, they say. If it's placed on a shoulder during a lab draw, it interrupts nerve pathways, and helps kids not feel the poke so much," Benoit told us.

In Duluth there are three Child Life Specialists. One focused on inpatient, one in the cancer center, and clinic departments and Miller-Dwan outpatient surgery.

If you have questions or want more information, check out the website: https://www.essentiahealth.org/services/pediatric-services/child-life-specialists/

To see the original article and read related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/news/child-life-specialists-essentia-health-hospital-support-kids/6443799/