Inside the Children's Hospital

"Hope isn't about avoiding the hard truths. It's about staying grounded in them and still believing that something good is possible."- Katie Taylor  In this final episode of 2024, Katie dives deep into the meaning of hope, exploring its role in navigating challenges for parents, children and Child Life Specialists. Reflecting on personal experiences and heartfelt conversations with families, this...

"Life is always in the mix of joy and grief, and those things coexist. But this is how I'm going to deal with it." - Joanne De Simone In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, Joanne De Simone shares her journey as a parent raising two sons with disabilities. From navigating her eldest son Benjamin's rare brain malformation, lissencephaly  and complex medical needs to supporting her young...

"If anybody was to ask me what is one of my biggest strengths, I have to tell them it's resilience… You can throw almost anything at me and I can handle it. I mean, there isn't anything any bigger in this world than losing a child."- Kathy In this heartfelt episode, Katie Taylor sits down with Kathy, a mother who shares her journey of raising and caring for her daughter Lauren  through multiple me...

  Today's episode is dedicated to the loving memory of Dr. Meredith Hitch, a cherished pediatric gastroenterologist at Ochsner Baton Rouge.   "You want to make sure that you are ready to be able to prepare not only yourself but your kiddo." - Emily Martinec, CCLS   In this episode host Katie Taylor chats with Emily Martinec, another experienced Child Life Specialist. These two dive into the comple...

A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast,  Begin Health.  - Use code CHILDLIFEONCALL for 25% off 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a solution for your child. Especially if your child has food allergies or has a condition or illness, you want to feel good about the products you are selecting for your child. To me, finding a company whose...

A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast, Begin Health.  - Use code CHILDLIFEONCALL for 25% off 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a solution for your child. Especially if your child has food allergies or has a condition or illness, you want to feel good about the products you are selecting for your child. To me, finding a company whose p...

Child Life Specialist Secrets: Flu Shot Prep Strategies Every Parent Should Know Thank you to the sponsor of today's podcast: Begin Health In this episode of the Child Life On Call Podcast, hosts Katie Taylor and Emily Martinec, both certified child life specialists, discuss strategies for preparing, supporting, and responding to children during flu shots. The conversation extends to other medical...

230: Navigating Childhood Cancer: Supporting families through her own experience - Heather's Story  "We've joined a club that nobody wants to be a part of, but the good part is we have the best members." A huge thank you to our sponsor of today's podcast, Begin Health.  - Use code CHILDLIFEONCALL for 25% off 30% of children struggle with constipation and it can feel impossible trying to find a sol...

"Trust your gut. If your parent radar comes up and says this is not right, keep pushing." – Kim   In this episode, Katie Taylor speaks with Kim Miller, a mother whose journey navigating her son Grant's diagnoses of juvenile arthritis reshaped her life. Kim shares how her relentless advocacy led her family through unimaginable challenges, including managing chronic pain and finding the right medica...

"We are the experts on our daughter and we deserve a say, and we deserve to be given the time to ask questions." – Nikki DeLeo   We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsor for this episode, Gebauer PainEase®. We are pleased to provide more information about this product, and we invite you to learn more by visiting their website.    In this heartfelt episode, host and Certified Child Life Speci...

"If you have a doubt about something with your child or a family member, it's just really important to keep pushing through and get to the answers." – Gay Grossman In this episode, host Katie Taylor speaks with Gay Grossman, a passionate patient advocate and mother, about her journey navigating the rare disease world. Gay shares her experience of seeking a diagnosis for her daughter, advocating fo...

"Combining my personal experiences as a mom with my professional role has given me a unique perspective on the challenges families face and the solutions they need." - Jaclyn Pederson   In this insightful episode, host Katie Taylor speaks with Jaclyn Pederson, CEO of Feeding Matters and mother, and Athena Flicek, a dedicated mother of a child with feeding difficulties, about the complexities of pe...

  "I feel like I owe it to him to explore other avenues. Acceptance doesn't mean giving up; it means continuing to learn and adapt."- Lexi    In this episode of Child Life On Call, Katie Taylor speaks with Lexi, a devoted mother of two, about her family's journey with alopecia universalis. Lexi shares the emotional challenges and triumphs of supporting her three-year-old son, Penn, who was diagnos...

"My immediate thought was I'm going to lose my son. That was where my head went immediately." - Reina Introduction In this episode of Child Life On Call, Katie Taylor talks with Reina, a devoted mother from Nashville, Tennessee. Reina shares her heartfelt journey of caring for her son Elliott, diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma at eight years old. She discusses the emotional and practical challenges...

Episode Description: In this special impromptu episode, Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist and CEO of Child Life On Call, shares some exciting news! We're rebranding our beloved Child Life On Call app to SupportSpot . Tune in to hear why we made this change and what it means for you and your family. Plus, get a sneak peek into the new features and benefits you can expect from SupportSpo...

In this episode host Katie Taylor sits down with Ashley O'Neil, a family nurse practitioner and a NICU mom. Ashley shares her journey when her son, Colin, was born at 25 weeks gestation and the following 183 day NICU stay.  Listen to hear how she balanced work, advocating for her son's needs, coping with personal loss, as well as providing invaluable support and resources to other families in simi...

On today's episode, Katie had the privilege of speaking with Annie Gunning , a Certified Child Life Specialist and Grief Counselor, and Haley Thomas , a Licensed Master Social Worker, on their collaborative efforts to support families at Hope for HIE . Annie and Haley tailor their support to each family's unique needs, dedicating time to assess and implement the most effective strategies. Under th...

Episode Description: Join Katie Taylor, CCLS in this episode as she talks with Dr. Michael Pitt the founder of Q-Rounds and a compassionate pediatrician (and magician!) dedicated to enhancing doctor-patient communication.  As a child life specialist, Katie understands how crucial it is for families to not only be present during rounds but also to feel empowered and actively engaged in discussing t...

"We, we weren't letting those people push us around because, believe it or not, living with us 24 hours a day, we knew more than some of the doctors." - Skip Vilas In this heartfelt episode of the Child Life On Call podcast, host and CCLS Katie Taylor interviews Deb Vilas, an expert child life specialist, alongside her parents, Skip and Joyce Vilas. They share their story spanning over 60 years, r...

Today's guest is Taylor Happley, a mom of a child with CHARGE syndrome.  "We need to figure out why and how to help these kids get the medical attention that they need." In today's episode, Katie Taylor had an important conversation with Taylor Happley, whose son has CHARGE syndrome. Taylor's prenatal journey was filled with miscommunication and emotional challenges. Taylor's story of learning abo...

Today's guest is Erin Prosser, an IEP expert consultant and a mom of a daughter diagnosed with STXBP1. "You don't see it coming. Being a rare disease parent hits you like a ton of bricks."  In today's episode Katie Taylor had the chance to speak with Erin Prosser, an IEP expert consultant and a mom navigating the complex world of pediatric healthcare due to her daughter Lucy's rare neurodevelopmen...

April is Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. We have reposted this episode to bring awareness and give you tangible tools to speak with your kids about child abuse. Today's guest expert is Jane Donovan, who is a child abuse prevention advocate.  "And like we say in child life, you have to prepare. So you know what to expect and you know how to cope with what's going to happen next." - Katie Ta...

"I've learned so much in this whole process. It's like you have a depth inside of you that resurrects as an advocate and high alert, and it lives inside of you when you need it."   -Aspen, Willa's Mom In this episode of Child Life On Call, host Katie Taylor and guest Aspen share an intense and educational journey through pediatric appendicitis. Aspen recounts her daughter Willa's sudden illness, m...

"Sometimes it's really therapeutic though to remember all that you have gone through because I feel like there are times when we look at each other and I'm like how did we get here?" -Tayler Ransome We're grateful for our sponsor for this episode, Nestle Health Science, and are thrilled to share their incredible MyTubeFeeding.com/ChildLifeOnCall website, your go-to online resource for valuable inf...

In This Episode: Katie Taylor goes off the beaten path in this special episode to share a profound moment of inspiration that struck her. This episode is a heartfelt message to child life specialists, students, and parents, emphasizing the importance of showing up as you are, without the burden of imposter syndrome. Key Highlights: A Different Kind of Episode: Katie shares her spontaneous thoughts...