CCLS case studies
CCLS · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential is the exclusive credential for the child life profession. It is issued by the Child Life Certification Commission (CLCC), a 501(c)6 that oversees the credential and holds authority over eligibility requirements, certification standards, exam development and administration, and disciplinary actions. The CCLS case studies are 5 cases and about 4,678 words.
1The 15-Minute Prep Request: A Nonverbal 6-Year-Old Facing His First Lumbar Puncture
Malik is 6 and was diagnosed with B-cell ALL nine days ago. In 48 hours he is scheduled for port placement and a first lumbar puncture with intrathecal chemotherapy.
927 words, about 5 min2Day 4 of a Sickle Cell Crisis: Pain, Suspicion, and a Teenager Who Has Stopped Trying
Andre is 14 and on day 4 of a vaso-occlusive crisis admission, using a morphine PCA, rating pain 9/10 in his legs and back. He has had three admissions in eight weeks and 22 school absences this year.
907 words, about 5 min3The 16-Year-Old Who Wants to Stop: Refusal, Secrecy, and a Declining FEV1
Jayden is 16 and has cystic fibrosis. His FEV1 has fallen from 62% to 48% over ten months, and this is his sixth admission this year.
975 words, about 5 min4Two Specialists, Ninety-Six Beds, and a Demand for 24/7 Coverage
You are one of two child life specialists (2.0 FTE total) covering a 96-bed children's hospital with about 3,800 admissions and 1,100 surgical cases per year. There is no evening or weekend child life coverage.
943 words, about 5 min5Morning Dressing Changes: A 5-Year-Old, No Sedation, and Parents in the Hallway
Elena is 5 and has 25% total body surface area scald burns to her chest, right arm, and thigh. Dressing changes in the tub happen every morning at 8 with no sedation ordered; she screams, thrashes, and two staff hold her.
926 words, about 5 min