About the Children's Hospital

Philosophy of Care

With a focus on Family Centered Care, the Herman & Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai offers a full range of pediatric specialty services, for patients from birth to 18 years of age and older, supporting area pediatricians with the most comprehensive care of any community hospital in Maryland.

Child Life

The Child Life Program serves both the 21-bed Pediatric Inpatient Unit and the nine-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Services are provided by Child Life Specialists in the playroom and at the bedside for those patients too ill to participate in the playroom activities. Child Life Specialists are staff members who are trained to do age appropriate preparation and follow up with children around hospitalizations and outpatient treatments.

The specialists address the various questions that children and their parents may have and are available to schedule pre-hospital tours and individualized pre-hospitalization visits.

Chairs and letters in playroom The goals of the Child Life Program include:

Educating the patients and reducing their stress and anxiety.
Providing normal or home-like activities and experiences which are needed for growth and development.
Creating opportunities for children to express their feelings and to bolster their self-esteem and independence.

The program operates five days a week, including evenings and holidays. Special events and parties are planned through the year.

The Playroom hours are Monday – Friday:

Monday - Saturday:
9:30 AM - 1:00 PM Open for Play and Activities
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Closed for Rest Time
2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Open for Play and Activities

Sunday:
10:00 PM - 4:00 PM Open for Play and Activities

Meet Our Team of Child Life Specialists