Support Services and Programs

Clinical aromatherapy can help reduce pain, nausea and headaches. We provide aromatherapy throughout Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital as an additional service for patients and families.

Art helps children cope with their hospital experience by providing a safe and developmentally appropriate way to express themselves.

Our art therapists harness children’s creative and expressive capabilities. They use art to support the social, psychological, emotional, developmental and physical needs of children and families.

Reading can lower stress and help children cope with illness, injury and hospitalization. Our Family Resource Center, located on the first floor of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, features a library with many types of books. Patients and families can check out books throughout their stay.

Lotsy Dotsy, our resident clown, has been turning frowns into smiles for more than two decades. Children and grown-ups alike enjoy singing songs, blowing bubbles and playing the harmonica with Lotsy Dotsy.

Massage therapy in a hospital setting can provide many benefits, such as improved circulation, mobility, mood and sleep patterns. Patients may also have less pain, muscle tension, nausea, stress and anxiety.

Music therapy is the clinical use of music to reach a patient’s treatment goals, such as:

• Developmental growth
• Emotional expression and coping
• Pain and anxiety management

Music therapists at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital provide developmentally appropriate music interventions to empower children and support families. Our music therapy services include:

• Bereavement and legacy building
• Instrumental instruction
• Music-assisted relaxation
• Songwriting

One of the most beloved members of the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital team is our four-legged co-worker, Freedom. Freedom is our pet therapy dog. You can request a visit by calling the BARK line, 954-265-2275 (BARK).

Yoga can help children and adults find relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. We offer yoga classes at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital for patients and their caregivers.

Instructors lead participants through mild stretching, mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing exercises. They also incorporate yoga games to help participants stay present and focused.

The Child Life Department offers a 16-week full-time internship during the fall and spring. Applicants must be affiliated with an academic program throughout the duration of the internship. Students are supervised by Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) and participate in rigorous hands-on clinical and academic training.

Apply

Please check back for updates regarding our internship offerings.

Our practicum program is a largely observational experience for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a child life specialist. Practicum students will have the opportunity to shadow child life specialists, gain exposure to common procedures, interact with patients and families, and facilitate therapeutic play activities.

The practicum is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of child life practice through observation of the daily work of a Certified Child Life Specialist.

Apply