Help Children In The Medical System With This Alabama Online Degree

When a child faces illness, injury, or hospitalization, the experience can be overwhelming for the entire family. Child life specialists play a crucial role in transforming these stressful situations into manageable moments for young patients and their support system. And the path to becoming one can start with earning an Alabama Online Degree in Human Development and Families Studies, with a concentration in Child Life.

What Does a Child Life Specialist Do?

A child life specialist is a vital member of the healthcare team, uniquely trained to help children and adolescents navigate the challenges of illness, injury, and hospitalization. These professionals address the emotional, developmental, and psychological needs of young patients by:

• Explaining complex medical procedures in age-appropriate ways to reduce fear and confusion.

• Using play, preparation, and education to help children and families cope with stressful experiences.

• Providing emotional support, especially during procedures and periods of loss or bereavement.

• Facilitating sibling and family support to ensure the well-being of the entire family unit.

• Advocating for children's unique needs within the healthcare system.

Child life specialists often work in hospitals, clinics, hospice settings, and even schools, collaborating closely with doctors, nurses, and social workers.

Why Are Child Life Specialists Important?

Before child life specialists, children were often treated as adults in medical settings, which often meant social isolation, contributing to developmental delays.

With evolving approaches to child medical care came the introduction of child life specialists. As this role has become more common in medical settings, more and more evidence of their importance has emerged. 

The impact of a child life specialist goes far beyond distraction and entertainment. Leading research shows that child life specialists:

• Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Child life interventions have been shown to lower children's distress, decrease the need for sedation during noninvasive procedures by as much as 28%, and foster better coping during medical experiences.

• Improve Health Outcomes: Their support reduces pain perception and helps children process trauma, leading to faster recovery and fewer long-term psychological effects.

• Support the Whole Family: By providing education and guidance, they empower caregivers to more effectively support their children, building trust and easing families through difficult times.

• Decrease Cost of Pediatric Care: By reducing length of stay by as much as 24%, readmission rates, and the need for extra medical interventions, such as sedation, child life specialists save money for families and for medical institutions. 

According to national associations, hospitals with robust child life services report higher family satisfaction and better overall healthcare experiences for pediatric patients.

How Much Do Child Life Specialists Get Paid?

Salaries for child life specialists are influenced by location, experience, and workplace setting. According to the most recent salary survey from the Association of Child Life Professionals (2021), these are the average salaries for different types of child life professionals:

• Hospital-based child life specialists: $53,971 average annual salary

• Community-based child life specialists: $58,375 average annual salary

• Child ilfe academician: $69,239

• Child life program leaders: $87,759

While child life specialists only need a bachelor’s degree, such as the University of Alabama Online degree, leadership and academic roles may require further educatin. 

How Do You Become a Child Life Specialist?

Child life specialists not only need degrees, but certifications. Here’s a typical route to becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS):

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: You must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a related field like human development or family studies.

2. Complete Required Coursework: If you do not graduate from an ACLP-endorsed program, you can also sit for the certification exam by taking 10 specific college courses.

3. Gain Hands-On Experience: Complete a clinical internship supervised by a certified child life specialist.

4. Pass the Certification Exam: Successfully pass the national Child Life Professional Certification Examination.

Alabama Online Degree: Your Pathway to Becoming A Child Life Specialist

The University of Alabama’s Online Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Child Life provides a robust and flexible route to this rewarding career.

Program Highlights:

• 100% online coursework—study from anywhere, at your pace.

• 120 credit hour curriculum with courses in child development, play therapy, medical terminology, loss and bereavement, and hospital-based practicum experiences.

• Required 600-hour internship, preparing you for real-world patient care.

• Direct pathway to one of the nation’s most meaningful and in-demand healthcare roles. Qualified graduates are eligible to sit for the Child Life Certification Exam.

• No standardized test scores required for admission through Fall 2026.

• Ranked #1 as the Best Online Bachelor’s in Human &  Family Development Programs in 209 by TheBestSchools.com. 

• Taught by faculty with doctoral-level expertise in child life and pediatric development.

• Part of a respected, accredited university community.

For those seeking a purposeful, people-centered career helping children, becoming a child life specialist is an impactful and specialized option.

The University of Alabama’s online degree will help you turn your passion for helping children into a fruitful career.