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Child life services have roots as far back as the 1920s when hospital volunteers used play to help children cope. But the profession really came into its own in the 1960s, thanks to Emma Plank. Her groundbreaking book, Working with Children in Hospitals, provided a blueprint for addressing the unique needs of children during hospital stays and is still considered foundational in the field today.

Over the years, child life has grown far beyond hospital playrooms. Today, child life specialists provide support in a wide variety of settings, tailoring their care to meet the needs of both patients and their families. Whether offering emotional guidance, helping siblings adjust, or educating parents about medical procedures, child life professionals create a more supportive healthcare experience for everyone involved.

And now, let's fast forward to Annie's role as the Child Life Specialist at Hope for HIE. Her main objective is to help children and families navigate medicalized life by empowering and supporting both children and their caregivers and fostering the ability to advocate for their needs while simultaneously reducing stress, pain, and anxiety. This often looks like support for patients and their families facing surgeries, tests, procedures, diagnoses, and hospitalizations by offering preparation, creating personalized coping plans, providing education, fostering creative expression, and incorporating medical play.

When a child has HIE or other medical complexities, their siblings may experience a mix of emotions, from love and protectiveness to confusion or even jealousy. The good news? There are many ways to involve siblings in their brother or sister’s care in a meaningful, age-appropriate way.

Everyday Inclusion & Connectedness

• Give them a role in daily care. Simple tasks like choosing an outfit, helping with a bottle, or bringing a favorite toy can help siblings feel involved and foster connection.

• Use dolls or stuffed animals for practice. Siblings can “care” for their toys similarly to their sibling’s care, helping them feel involved and making medical supplies or equipment feel less intimidating.

• Encourage sibling bonding. Even simple interactions—like singing a song together or making silly faces—can strengthen their relationship and provide moments of joy.

• Look into sibling support groups. Programs like SuperSibs provide a space for siblings to connect, share their experiences, and learn coping strategies from others who understand.

Staying Connected During Hospital Stays

• Let them help prepare. Working to pack a hospital bag or create a picture poster board together can help siblings feel a sense of involvement and comfort.

• Use virtual connection tools. FaceTime calls, recorded bedtime stories, or a shared nighttime routine (like prayers or reading a book together) can help maintain a sense of normalcy, even from a distance.

• Ask about sibling-friendly hospital support. Many hospitals with child life specialists offer sibling visits or activities to keep siblings engaged and help normalize the experience.

Supporting siblings of children with HIE means helping them navigate big emotions, process changes in their family dynamic, and cope with feelings of being left out. These siblings may struggle with identifying and expressing their emotions—especially when they feel like their needs come second to their medically complex siblings. Creating space for emotional expression and validation is key to helping them feel seen, heard, and supported.

Identifying and Expressing Emotions

• Provide positive outlets for emotional release. Activities like drawing, painting, sensory play, or physical play (knocking down pillows, hitting water balloons, or throwing wet paper towels at a target) can help siblings express their feelings safely and productively.

• Encourage creative play. Using figurines or stuffed animals to act out family dynamics can help children process their emotions naturally.

• Talk while engaging in activities they enjoy. Conversations during activities—basketball in the driveway, building Legos, or on a car ride—can feel more comfortable and natural than a direct sit-down discussion.

Coping with Big Feelings and Family Changes

• Acknowledge the impact of acquired HIE. The changes can feel sudden and overwhelming when HIE occurs later in infancy or childhood. Helping siblings understand what’s happening and how the family adjusts can foster resilience.

• Validate their feelings. Naming emotions—whether it’s frustration, sadness, or jealousy—helps siblings feel understood. Meeting them where they are emotionally, even when their energy feels “crazy,” can help bring them back to calm.

• Reassure them that their emotions are normal. Let them know it’s okay to feel a mix of love, worry, and frustration.

Addressing Feeling Left Out

• Recognize and point out 1:1 time. Whether it’s bath time, reading a book, or attending a sports practice, highlighting moments of special time spent together can help siblings feel valued.

• Give them choices for special 1:1 time. Let them pick which parent they want to spend time with or which activity they’d like to do together.

• Include them in daily family routines. Whether it’s helping with cooking, assisting with sibling care in an age-appropriate way, or having their own parallel “job” with a toy or doll, involving siblings fosters connection and inclusion.

Helping siblings understand HIE and medical complexities can make unfamiliar or intimidating topics feel more approachable. Parents can ease uncertainty and encourage involvement rather than fear by using clear, simple language and focusing on what helps their siblings.

Explaining HIE & Medical Concepts

• Use concrete, simple terms. Break down medical information into words and ideas that fit their age and understanding. Focus on the “why” behind medical visits, hospital stays, or treatments to reduce anxiety and uncertainty.

• Be honest, and it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” If a sibling asks a tough question, admitting you don’t have all the answers is perfectly okay. A response like, “That’s a great question—let’s find out together” can foster trust and encourage learning.

• Highlight what helps. Shift the focus to treatments, therapies, or tools that support their sibling instead of focusing solely on challenges or limitations.

Addressing Specific Medical Concepts

• G-tubes: Explain that a G-tube helps their sibling get food differently, just like some people eat with their mouths, and others need a little extra help.

• Surgery: Talk about why surgeries help and what to expect during recovery. Watching kid-friendly videos can make the idea less scary.

• Cerebral Palsy (CP): Explain that CP affects muscles and movement; every person with CP is unique.

• Seizures: Explain that seizures happen when the brain sends mixed signals, and there are different kinds. Watching short videos or reading about seizures in kid-friendly terms can help.

Making Medical Learning Engaging

• Use books, videos, and sibling stories. Reading stories about hospitals, medical conditions, or emotions can help kids process their experiences. Watching videos of other siblings sharing their stories can help normalize their feelings.

• Encourage hands-on learning. Let them play with toy medical kits or demonstrate care using a doll or stuffed animal. This can make medical equipment and procedures feel less intimidating.

• Focus on what they can do. Instead of highlighting limitations, remind siblings of how they can interact with and support their HIE sibling—whether playing, reading, helping with small tasks, or just spending time together.

Talking to young siblings about death can be difficult, but using honest, age-appropriate language and giving them space to express their emotions can help them healthily process their loss.

Explaining Death to Children

• Use simple, concrete terms. Avoid euphemisms like “gone to sleep” or “lost” that can be confusing. Instead, explain that their sibling’s body stopped working and they are not coming back.

• Let their questions guide the conversation. Younger children may need only basic information, while older children might ask more in-depth questions. Answer honestly and at their level of understanding.

• Books can help. Reading stories about death and grief can make abstract concepts more relatable and provide comfort.

Honoring and Remembering their Sibling

• Include them in discussions about special dates. Ask if they want to participate in remembrance activities for anniversaries, birthdays, or other significant days, but permit them to choose how involved they want to be.

• Encourage ways to remember their sibling. This could be through drawing pictures, lighting a candle, sharing stories, or having a special item that reminds them of their brother or sister.

Supporting their Emotional Processing

• Show them that emotions are okay. Crying in front of your child models that feelings are natural and safe to express. Let them know it’s okay to feel sad, miss their sibling, or even feel confused.

• Validate their feelings. Use simple statements like, “I’m crying because I miss your brother, and that makes me feel sad.” This helps them name and understand their own emotions.