700 Children's® – A Blog by Pediatric Experts

Child Life: True or False?

Apr 15, 2026

Child life only provides distraction. False! The child life team helps with preparation, procedural support, education, sibling support and coping skills.

Child life specialists provide support to patients of all ages. True!

Child life can support the entire family, not just the patient. True!

The child life program is only made up of child life specialists. False! Our team is made up of child life specialists, creative engagement coordinators and gaming technology specialists.

Play is just for fun. False! Play serves many purposes, such as expression of emotion, understanding a patient’s environment and feeling a sense of control.

Learn more about child life specialists at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Callista Dammann

Marketing and Public Relations

Callista Dammann is the social community manager at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She has the unique opportunity of navigating the hospital as both a staff member and a parent after delivering her twin girls, Cami and Madi, at just 25 weeks gestation. Her daughter Madi is a guardian angel for sister Cami, and baby brothers Maddox and Cayson.

Jody Ganschinietz

Marketing and Public Relations

Jody Ganschinietz joined Nationwide Children’s Hospital in 2018 and serves as a strategist with the Marketing and Public Relations team. Jody produces content for population health efforts and works in partnership with service lines whose work impacts the health of the community. Jody also produces high-performing Tik Tok videos like the “Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room” series.

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Pediatric News You Can Use From America’s Largest Pediatric Hospital and Research Center

700 Children’s® features the most current pediatric health care information and research from our pediatric experts – physicians and specialists who have seen it all. Many of them are parents and bring a special understanding to what our patients and families experience. If you have a child – or care for a child – 700 Children’s was created especially for you.

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