#IamMGH – Meet Maria Sohail

#IamMGH tells the stories of our people. Meet Maria Sohail, Child Life Intern at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).“I started my internship at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) in January 2022 and it has been a great experience.

I always knew I wanted to work with children. I completed my undergraduate degree in Human Behaviour and Autism Behavioural Sciences and then worked for two years as a Paediatric Behaviour Therapist for children with autism. Around this time, I volunteered at a local general hospital in the Paediatrics unit under a Child Life Specialist. I supported children and their families by providing toys and ensuring they felt comfortable and safe.

While volunteering, I remember I checked in on a South Asian girl who was very shy and hid behind her mother. Her mom shared that they knew limited English so I interacted with them in their mother tongue, Urdu, which helped the child open up. The mother mentioned it was the first time that her daughter was able to play and feel normal and thanked me for that. I realized how important Child Life teams are in helping to improve a child’s hospital experience. This was a defining moment for me and it’s what led me to pursue a career as a Child Life Specialist. 

Child Life is a growing field, but Child Life Specialists sometimes have to advocate for their role and its value in a healthcare team. People generally do not see the importance of play. However, play is a universal language for children; it’s a way for them to learn, develop life skills and meet their physical, emotional and social needs. In a hospital, medical procedures may be traumatic for children. Child Life Specialists use play as a tool to explain things to children in developmental languages and to normalize their hospital experience.

At MGH, the staff and teams are very supportive and receptive to Child Life and the services they have to offer. I can feel a sense of community here with the staff, patients and visitors.

Along with fellow team members and colleagues, I have been involved in work that pushes for diversity in the Child Life Specialist field, such as advocating for toys and teaching materials that are inclusive of diverse patients. For instance, in our line of work we use cloth dolls and Barbie dolls to explain medical procedures to children, so we tend to use dolls that have different skin colours. I co-created a Facebook group that allows healthcare professionals to learn how to incorporate diversity within the tools they use in their practice. I also wrote a children’s book entitled Colours of the Rainbow, which talks about how to be anti-racist, and I have read it for MGH’s Child Life Storytime series on YouTube.

The most rewarding part of my job is when I see the difference I am making in a child’s experience at the hospital. Through our role, we provide children with support and a sense of autonomy in a space where they may not have choices and have to undergo treatment or surgeries. Child Life Specialists help make the hospital a fun and safe place for children and their families.”