Advocate Lutheran General Children's Hospital is pleased to offer our pediatric patients and their families the support of the Child Life Program and its dedicated, compassionate Child Life specialists. Pediatric Child Life specialists with advanced training in child development, child life and psychology work with the children in the Pediatric Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and outpatient oncology clinic. Our Teen Life specialists backgrounds are in child development, child life, psychology and counseling and provides services for teens hospitalized in a separate Adolescent/Young Adult Unit. All specialists have achieved professional certification status through the National Child Life Council. One of our current staff also serves as our hospital tutor to provide patients tutoring.

The Child Life Program is assisted by a team of educated Child Life interns and trained volunteers. To contact one of the caring Child or Teen Life specialists, simply call the Child Life Department at 847.723.PLAY.

To learn more about becoming a certified Child Life specialist, click here.

Child Life Department

(847) 723.PLAY

Child and Teen Life Specialists

Linda Bensing

Certified Child Life Specialist
Telephone: 847.723.CCLS (2257)
Long Range Pager: (847) 569.6067
E-mail: Linda.Bensing@advocatehealth.com

Jan Welter

Certified Child Life Specialist
Telephone: 847.723.TEEN (8336)
Long Range Pager: (847) 569.6443 E-mail: Jan.Welter@advocatehealth.com

Denise Morrissey Chaveriat

Certified Child Life Specialist
Telephone: 847.723.TOYS (8697)
Long range pager: (847) 569.8031
E-mail: Denise.Morrissey@advocatehealth.com

Emily Gotha

Certified Child Life Specialist
Telephone: 847.723.4FUN (4386)
Long Range Pager: (847) 569.8056
E-mail: Emily.Gotha@advocatehealth.com

Nina Sittler

Certified Child Life Specialist/Tutor
Telephone: 847.723.4EDU
Long Range Pager: (847) 569.4894
E-mail: Nina.Weeks@Advocatehealth.com