South River Grad Helps AAMC’s Youngest Patients

South River graduate Natalie Page remembers exactly what it is like to be a scared child in the hospital.

When she was 16, her younger brother Chuckie was undergoing major surgery on his chest at Johns Hopkins. Page said she remembers feeling frightened and completely unable to help her brother—until a child life specialist came along.

“Even though I wasn’t going through the procedures it was upsetting that I couldn’t help my brother and understand what he was going through,” Page said. “The child life specialist helped me and my family understand what was going on.” 

Ever since those days in the hospital, Page knew she would one day spend her life helping the hospital’s youngest patients. And this summer, that’s exactly what she did.

The 2010 South River grad, and current High Point University senior just wrapped up a summer internship with Anne Arundel Medical Center’s (AAMC) Child Life program. Page worked as a Child Life Practicum Student in the in-patient and emergency department. 

“We work with the doctors to help them understand what’s going on and make the process as simple as possible for the kids,” Page said.

When a child came into the emergency room, Page would help with projects like letting the young patient draw blood on a cloth doll.

“It helps them regain control after they have lost control of their bodies during their time at the hospital,” Page said.

During her time working with in-patients, Page said she and the kids made sparklers out of test tubes—they filled the tube with sparkles, water and beads. She said it provided the kids with a positive experience while they were in the hospital.

Page is entering her final year as a psychology major at High Point. After she graduates, she will go on to get her master’s degree in Child Life. She said she hopes to one day spend her career help kids in need.

“I have had some experiences over my time in the hospital where I can really see how child life has helped,” Page said.

While working with AAMC, Page said one patient came in with a broken arm and was just very uncomfortable and worried. The patient mentioned that she was missing her stuffed animals from home—so Page and her supervisors brought the girl a giant pink bunny.

“When we walked in the room with this big pink bunny, she got this big smile on her face,” Page said. “It showed me that in the moment she was able to forget about that pain. It showed we were making a difference in her stay at the hospital.”