The Paws & Play Team Welcomes a New Member Kaleigh Bieling, a Certified Child Life Specialist, started a new role as a secondary handler with Amos primarily in the PICU and PCICU. Her work with Amos includes seeing patients and families in the ICUs to help support socialization, positive coping and normalization of the environment. Amos and Kaleigh work alongside other modalities, like physical therapy, to provide co-treat sessions with patients to increase motivation and personalization of treatment plan goals. Amos enjoys staff support sessions by making rounds of the units and getting lots of pets and love, helping to provide comfort for the staff in the PICU/PCICU. Kaleigh will also be working to integrate Amos into her work in the outpatient Cardiac Clinic.
Impact on Painful Procedures Our Paws & Play program’s research study featuring facility dog Professor has been published! It is the first study of its kind that demonstrates the clinical impact of animal assisted therapy and child life interventions on painful procedures and pediatric pain. ‘Impact of Facility Dog and Certified Child Life Specialist Dyad on Children’s Pain and Anxiety During Needlestick Procedures in a Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic Setting’ is available to all through the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Due to our donor’s generosity and support, the Paws & Play team is able to bring comfort and healing to patients and families while conducting valuable research to demonstrate the impact of animal assisted therapy in pediatrics. Thank you!
Kaleigh and Amos Bring Joy to Teen Patient Throughout her admission, a teenager with scoliosis has benefitted from Kaleigh, Certified Child Life Specialist, and Amos’ therapeutic presence. The patient enjoyed having Amos rest in bed with her while engaging in arts and crafts, but most of all, she enjoyed Kaleigh and Amos during walks with physical therapy. In collaboration with physical therapy, Kaleigh set up photos of Amos throughout the hallway for the patient to look for and collect throughout her walk. When she returned to her room from her walk, Amos and Kaleigh were inside to congratulate her on her first walk post-surgery. This patient and her caregivers shared appreciation and gratitude throughout their admission for Amos helping to make their stay comfortable. Kaleigh and Amos provided motivation and positive coping throughout their interactions. Amos providing comfort and snuggles during an AAT session.
