After passing the certification exam, you are officially a professional child life specialist. Therefore, you can add these letters after your name as a sign of your certification. Update your resume to reflect your new certification and experience. Each certification is good for 5 years. For the first 4 years of that certification, you must pay a maintenance fee to ACLP each year to maintain your certification.  As of 2018, the maintenance fees are $45 USD per year for members and $65 USD per year for non-members, as long as you pay in January. After that, a late fee is added. You must pay by April 1 to maintain your certification. Pay online at https://online.childlife.org/clcssa/ssaauthmenu.show_top_menu. For a check, include your certification number in the memo and mail it to the following address:Certification MaintenanceAssociation of Child Life Professionals1820 N Fort Myer Drive Suite 520Arlington, VA 22209. At this point, you are a certified professional, free to apply for any position that requires this certification. Search for positions with this certification in your area. You can even apply where you had your internship, as they are already familiar with your abilities. The ALCP has job listings on their website, but you must be a member to search them. This certification can be revoked by the ACLP if they decide you have engaged in inappropriate behavior. For instance, they may revoke it if they find out you falsified certification materials.  They may also revoke it if you violate the Code of Ethical responsibility, found at https://www.childlife.org/docs/default-source/certification/candidate-manual.pdf?sfvrsn=20, Cheating on the exam or disclosing questions from the exam is also grounds for your certification being revoked. If you are a convicted of a felony, particularly one relating to your profession, your certification may also be revoked. Even though you passed the child life specialist exam, you must show you are staying current by re-certifying. You can either take continuing education courses, known as Professional Development Units, or retake the exam.

Summary: Add "CCLS" to the end of your name. Pay the fees to maintain your certification. Apply for the position of your choice. Keep your certification by being professional. Re-certify every 5 years.


Although cats can recover quickly from removal procedures, it is still a good idea to schedule a follow-up appointment with your vet. During this appointment your vet will check to make sure that your cat is not suffering from any lingering pain or infection as a result of the lodged object or removal procedure. Your vet may notice that the foreign body has caused a secondary infection. This happens if the foreign body contained bacteria that was spread to the cat. If this is the case, your vet will prescribe antibiotics to help treat the secondary infection. Follow all instructions provided by your vet for administering the antibiotic. Following the surgery, your vet will most likely prescribe pain medication, as both the surgery and the recovery can be painful for the cat. It is very important that you follow of the instructions provided by the vet when administering medication. For example, your vet may prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as meloxicam or robenacoxib. Giving your cat wet food can also alleviate pain following this procedure. This type of food is typically softer and will be less irritating if your cat experienced a foreign body lodged in the respiratory system. Talk with your vet to see if this is a suitable option for your cat.

Summary: Schedule a follow-up appointment with your vet. Treat secondary infections with antibiotics. Provide your cat with pain medication. Feed your cat a softer diet.


Peppermint tea can soothe a dry cough and it can also help to clear nasal passages and thin out mucus. Try drinking a few cups throughout the day to soothe a dry cough. You can find peppermint tea in grocery stores. To make a cup of peppermint tea, place one teabag in a mug and pour eight ounces of boiling water over it. Then, let the tea steep for about five minutes. Wait for it to cool down to a comfortable drinking temperature before you drink the tea. Marshmallow is also known as Althaea officinalis and it is a traditional cough suppressant. It produces a film that coats the throat and this seems to help suppress a dry cough. You can find marshmallow root tea, drops, and capsules in health food stores.  You can drink several cups of marshmallow root tea each day, take 30 to 40 drops of marshmallow root tincture in a glass of water daily, or take up to six grams of marshmallow root powder capsules per day. For any product that you use, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Make sure that you check with your doctor first, especially if you are taking any medications. Slippery elm helps to soothe a dry cough by increasing mucus production and coating your throat. You can take slippery elm in a few different forms, but make sure that you check with your doctor first and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.  You can drink a few cups of slippery elm tea each day, take 5 mL of slippery elm tincture three times daily, take a 400 to 500 mg capsule of slippery elm three times daily for up to eight weeks, or suck on slippery elm lozenges throughout the day. If you are pregnant or taking any medications, ask your doctor before using slippery elm. Thyme is another traditional medicine for dry cough. You can brew a thyme tea to use it as a cough suppressant. To make a cup of thyme tea, place 1 teaspoon of dried thyme into a mug and pour boiling water over the herbs. Then, let the herbs steep for about five minutes, strain the herbs from the water, and drink after the tea cools down a bit.  Thyme oil is toxic when ingested. Do not take thyme oil by mouth. Thyme may interact with some medications including blood thinners and hormone medications. Talk to your doctor before using thyme if you are taking any medications or if you are pregnant. Ginger helps asthma sufferers because it has bronchodilation effects (it opens the airways). Since ginger helps to relax the muscles and open air passages, it may also be helpful for a dry cough. Try chewing on a 1-inch piece of peeled ginger to see if it helps with your cough. You can also make a ginger root tea. To make ginger tea, place a teaspoon of minced ginger into a mug and pour 8 ounces (236.6 mL) of boiling water over the ginger. Then, steep the ginger for about five to ten minutes. Drink the tea after it cools down a bit. Turmeric milk is a traditional treatment for cough and studies have shown that consuming turmeric can help to relieve a cough. Try adding some turmeric to cup of warm milk to help soothe a dry cough. Stir ½ teaspoon of turmeric into one glass of warm cow’s milk.  If you don’t like cow’s milk, try soy milk, coconut milk, or almond milk. Warm salt water can be helpful if you have a sore throat or if your dry cough is causing your throat to feel swollen or irritated. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to about 8 ounces (236.6 mL) of water.  Stir the mixture to dissolve the salt and then gargle the solution. Repeat this once every couple of hours throughout the day. Keeping the air humid in your environment may also help to soothe your cough. Try using a vaporizer or taking hot, steamy showers to help moisten your throat and soothe a dry cough. If you have a vaporizer, then you may also want to add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil to provide some additional relief for your dry cough. These scents can help to open up your airways and may soothe a dry cough as well.
Summary: Sip a cup of peppermint tea. Take marshmallow root. Try slippery elm. Brew some thyme tea. Chew on a piece of ginger root. Mix turmeric and milk. Gargle with warm salt water. Use steam to soothe your cough.