Child Life On Call: Parents Of Children With An Illness Or Medical Condition Share Their Stories With A Child Life Specialist

  “You make the best decision for yourself and your family—and you stick with it.”- Kim Pena What happens when you’re handed unexpected news at your child’s birth—and there’s no clear roadmap ahead? In this reposted episode, educator and mom Kim Pena shares her powerful journey as the parent of a child born with Microtia Atresia, a rare congenital condition affecting the ear. Kim was one of Katie’s very first guests on the Child Life On Call podcast, and her story is still a listener favorite to this day. In this repost, Katie kicks off the episode by giving us a quick update about Kim’s son.  From discovering her son’s diagnosis at birth to making emotional, high-stakes decisions about surgery and hearing aids, Kim walks us through her family’s deeply personal experience with compassion, clarity, and humor. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ What Microtia Atresia is and how it affects children ✅ How Kim and her husband navigated hearing loss, reconstructive surgery, and insurance battles ✅ Why early interve