Child Life provides comfort and care for Aiden and his family
Child Life specialists made an unexpected three-week stay at American Family Children’s Hospital bearable for 3 ½-year-old Aiden Topper and his family. “I’m going to cry–they were amazing,” shared Aiden’s mom, Andrea. “The relationship they built with Aiden was so needed. He knew they were there to have fun and be his friend.”
Aiden has severe pulmonary hypertension–a condition that leads to heart failure. He wears a backpack with a pump that delivers medication through a central line port to dilate the blood vessels in his lungs, so his heart doesn’t work too hard.
Medical play with a teddy bear wearing a PICC line and port just like his helped Aiden understand his experience. Shaving cream painting, scavenger hunts and gifts of Legos and tractors made the days more fun. Snuggling with facility dog Cola was a special comfort for Aiden, who calls his dogs his “sisters.” Distraction and sensory activities helped the active boy keep still during dressing changes.
Child Life also supported Andrea as she learned to mix the IV medications Aiden needs every 48 hours. “That was a huge learning curve. It was a one- to two-hour process every day for a week, but Child Life was there to distract Aiden while I learned,” Andrea said.
Child Life is supported 100% by philanthropy and couldn’t happen without you. Here are just some of the things your gifts made possible in 2023:
28 Child Life specialists, assistants and staff
750 books and 1,000 activity kits with kinetic sand, Play-Doh, Lego kits, coloring packets, crayons and markers
30 special events and programs
Visits with 220 Wisconsin Badger student athletes
64 patients attended Badger home football games on Bucky’s Patio
300 Positive Image Center visits
1,345 hours of music therapy for 719 patients
11 Visiting Dog Program therapy teams visited 730 patients and donated 300 volunteer hours
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