Child Life Specialist Flashcards
7 cards from real Child Life Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Child Life Specialist flashcards as text
Which theoretical framework best explains why a child uses medical play to repeatedly give injections to a doll after hospitalization?
Answer: Mastery through play
Mastery through play allows children to process and gain control over anxiety-provoking medical experiences by re-enacting them.
A child life specialist is working with a 10-year-old scheduled for an MRI. Which preparation approach is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Show a video of the MRI machine and describe sounds using concrete sensory terms
School-age children benefit from detailed, sensory-based preparation that gives them accurate information and reduces fear of the unknown.
During a family meeting, parents disagree about whether to tell their 7-year-old she has cancer. What is the child life specialist's BEST response?
Answer: Explore each parent's concerns and provide research on age-appropriate honest communication
The child life specialist supports families by exploring concerns and providing evidence-based guidance on honest, age-appropriate communication.
A toddler in the NICU is showing signs of developmental delay due to prolonged hospitalization. Which intervention is the priority?
Answer: Implement developmentally supportive positioning and sensory stimulation
Developmentally supportive care including appropriate positioning and sensory stimulation promotes neurodevelopmental outcomes for NICU infants.
Which of the following BEST describes the role of normalization in child life practice?
Answer: Maintaining typical routines and experiences to support psychosocial wellbeing during illness
Normalization involves maintaining age-appropriate activities, routines, and experiences to support a child's sense of identity and wellbeing.
A 5-year-old believes she is in the hospital because she was 'bad.' Which concept does this BEST illustrate?
Answer: Magical thinking and immanent justice
Magical thinking and immanent justice cause preschoolers to believe illness or hospitalization is punishment for misbehavior.
When documenting child life services in the medical record, what is the MOST important principle to follow?
Answer: Record objective observations, interventions, and outcomes using professional terminology
Accurate, objective documentation of observations, interventions, and outcomes demonstrates accountability and supports interdisciplinary communication.