Parent Resources & Clinical Programs

The Child Life Program at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center serves pediatric patients and their families in both inpatient and outpatient settings throughout the hospital. Child Life Specialists assist families in coping with illness and hospitalization by:

• Facilitating positive patient coping strategies through preparation and support for medical procedures
• Assisting families in dealing with grief and loss through bereavement interventions and the creation of legacy items
• Increasing awareness and understanding of the medical environment with diagnosis education and resources
• Affording patients and their siblings’ opportunities for developmentally appropriate play and socialization

Currently, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has 3 full-time Child Life Specialists and 1 full-time Activity Coordinator that cover numerous Outpatient Clinics, the Inpatient Pediatric Unit, Intensive Care Units, a Level I Trauma Center, Adult Palliative Care and the Jim Seidel Expressive Art Garden and Play Area.
The main goal of a Child Life Specialist is to provide a comforting, safe environment for hospitalized children and their families. Preparation, diagnosis education, and procedural support are all integral components to coping positively with hospitalization and illness.

Children enjoy therapeutic play activities at the bedside, and in activity room/teen lounge settings. These settings are furnished and maintained through donations and give children the opportunity to explore and gain mastery over the hospital environment. No medical tests or procedures are allowed in this “safe zone,” although doctors are welcome to come and play!

We have a few non-profit organizations: CoachArt provides activity workshops; Elizabeth’s Canvas provides art therapy in our Outpatient and Inpatient settings; Children’s Music Fund provides music therapy to our pediatric patients on the Ward and PICU.

Make-A-Wish referrals, birthdays, holiday parties, and special entertainment are provided by Child Life staff. Special events are also made possible by the generosity of donor groups such as Cheer For Children.

• StarBright Wish List

The Failure to Thrive (FTT) clinic is a place where children with impaired growth and developmental concerns are evaluated and treated with the highest level of quality care, respect, and confidentiality.

What is FTT?

FTT is a term commonly used to refer to children who are unable to gain weight and grow (within normal range) as expected. Children with FTT usually have a weight that is below the normal growth chart (the 5th percentile) for their age.

What causes FTT?

There are many causes that contribute to failure to thrive. They may include the following:

• Conditions with the gastrointestinal system
• Chronic illness
• An intolerance of milk or formula
• Infections
• Metabolic disorders
• Poor nutrition
• Environmental factors

Who will be treating my child?

The treatment of failure to thrive is carried out by our multi-disciplinary team of doctors, pediatric nurse practitioners, nutritionists, and occupational/physical therapists. Because many FTT patients require additional services our case manager provides home visits, individualized health education, and referrals to other community resources. Members of our team are bilingual and are sensitive to our multicultural population.

What should I expect during the clinic visit?

There are several components of the FTT Clinic visit. The evaluation may consist of the following:

• Review of past medical history
• Physical examination
• Consult with nutritionist
• Consult with occupational/physical therapist
• Blood work and x-rays may or may not be required

Who pays for the FTT Clinic visit?

Our hospital accepts Medi-Cal, CHDP, CCS and Community Health Plan (CHP). All other health plans must be reviewed for prior approval.

Clinic Information

The Pediatric Clinic takes place Tuesday mornings and is located in the main hospital on the first floor behind the registration window. The initial FTT visit may be as long as two hours. Please be on time and bring a snack for your family. Click here for parking and directions.

Harbor-UCLA Pediatric Clinics participate in the “Reach Out and Read” (ROR) program. ROR is a national non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud in pediatric exam rooms across the nation. The ROR program provides the tools to help promote children’s developmental skills and later school success.

ROR was developed two decades ago by pediatricians and early childhood educators to make literacy a part of routine pediatric care so that children enter school prepared to succeed. In this program, pediatric providers use the opportunity of the well-child visit between ages six months and five years to discuss with parents the importance of reading to their child on a routine basis. At these visits, young children are also given an age and culturally appropriate book to take home. Fourteen published, peer-reviewed studies clearly demonstrate that ROR is effective in promoting a literacy-rich home environment and in enhancing early language development.

At Harbor-UCLA patients are particularly at risk for growing up in homes without books. Of the over 13,000 children that come to Harbor annually for well child care between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, 40% come from families living at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. As a result, many of these families cannot afford to buy books for their children or do not have easy access to local libraries.