Children's Pine Center

In the outpatient clinical care centers at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh – and at the hospital in general – we continuously focus on family-centered care in order to provide an optimal experience for patients and their families.

To assist in providing family-centered care during outpatient visits, a certified child life specialist (CCLS) will focus on preparation, language, distraction, parental involvement, and teaching approaches prior to and during a child’s test/procedure. The CCLS’ role is to help children and their families cope with the anxiety and fear associated with their visit.

A CCLS can be used as a resource for parents prior to their child’s procedure and also for feedback once the procedure has been completed. The CCLS can also serve as an educator for staff members as well as other health care professionals in the community. The overall goal of the Child Life Department is to enhance emotional, social, and cognitive growth among pediatric patients during medical experiences.

Contact Our Outpatient Child Life Specialists

• Lauren McBryde, CCLS II
• Nikole Speshok, CCLS

CLClinics@chp.edu