Dude, the dinosaur, is getting a check-up today.

Four-year-old Allyson carefully checks his heartbeat with a purple plastic stethoscope and triumphantly pulls a tourniquet from the doctor’s bag when she’s advised that Dude needs a shot.

She studs Dude’s eyes and nostrils with EKG stickers and proclaims, “He’s all better!”

Allyson must know something about treating dinosaurs the rest of us don’t. Megan Fisher is Allyson’s co-healer today and her child life specialist everyday. Unquestionably, Megan knows something about treating children that the rest of us don’t.

Child life specialists are specially-trained and educated healthcare professionals who help children and families deal with the stress and fear that comes along with a diagnosis or being in the hospital.

Dealing with complex medical issues can cause emotional scarring, especially when it comes to children. Megan is an advocate for Allyson’s wholeness — making sure her psychological changes keep pace with her physical treatments and that she stays engaged in all the little things that make being a 4-year-old so magical.These types of exchanges, called medical play, teach Allyson to cope with her health challenges in a language she’s already fluent in. By familiarizing Allyson with medical equipment and procedures, Megan eases Allyson’s anxiety about her upcoming cardiac surgery at the Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado. By getting Allyson out of her hospital room and into a playroom that’s home to a dinosaur, a castle playhouse and a Rocky Mountain wallscape, Megan helps Allyson be a typical preschooler.

Read how child life specialists are helping kids recover with immersive play environments and therapeutic toys to connect with children.

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