Hospitalization can be a confusing and stressful experience for children, adolescents, and their families. It is very for everyone to have many questions. As a parent, you play an important role in helping your child or teenager cope with hospitalization. Here are some suggestions to help prepare your child for a hospital stay:
Visit and tour the hospital with parents and siblings, so you will all know what to expect.
Look for the playroom and other activities that your child may enjoy.
Talk to your child about what they see and feel.
Allow your child to interact with the nurses and staff, they won’ t be as timid and scared of meeting new people when they return for their procedure.
Let your child know which parent or guardian will be staying with them overnight and reassure them that they will not be alone.
Recognize and acknowledge your child’s fears and reassure them by letting them know that it’s okay to cry if they are afraid or feel pain.
What to Bring:
Infants and Toddlers
Be sure to bring along your child’s favorite security object (stuffed animal, blanket, pacifier, special toy, video tape, etc.)
Try to maintain normal routines. Your continued participation in feeding, bathing, and playtime will help to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Preschoolers
Encourage your child to express feelings, fears, and fantasies about the hospital stay.
Talk honestly with your child about what will happen. Listen to your child’ s questions.
Children in this age group learn best through their senses. They will want to know how things are going to taste, feel, smell, look or sound.
Read books with your child about the hospital.
Encourage your child to bring their favorite toy, book, family photo, or video.
Always tell your child when you need to leave, where you are going, and when you will return. Children this age typically fear separation from family and home.
School-Aged Children
Encourage your school-aged children to share their questions or concerns so that you can help alleviate their fears and anxieties. Respond honestly and assure them that children of all ages, and with many different illnesses, are treated in the hospital, and that many people there are working together to help them get well. If you are unable to answer some of their questions, be sure to call your child’s doctor or the hospital directly.
Visit your local library for age-appropriate books on hospitalization. This will also help alleviate any fears or concerns siblings or you, the parent, may have.
Have your child bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal or videotapes from home. Be sure to have them bring along some of their own clothes, including their pajamas. Many school-age patients prefer wearing their own clothes to the gowns provided by the hospital.
Teenagers
Teens should be encouraged to ask their doctor or nurse questions they may have about their illness, treatment, or hospitalization. Be sure they are included in discussions about their care.
Encourage your teenager to express their feelings, worries, or concerns.
Suggest to your teen that they write the questions they want to ask their doctor or nurse on paper. This will help them remember all their questions when they visit the doctor.
Have your teen bring books, games, videotapes, and their own clothes to help them feel more comfortable.
Siblings
Siblings often become the "forgotten ones." They, too, may have questions, fears, and concerns. Listen to them and answer them honestly.
Let them know they will most likely be able to visit their hospitalized sibling. Suggest they draw a picture or make a card for the patient. See your Child Life specialist for more information about Sutton Children's sibling visitation policy.
Read books with the siblings about the hospital.
Try to maintain contact with the sibling during your child’s hospitalization, especially if they cannot visit. Phone calls and notes mailed to them (if it is a lengthy hospitalization) help them feel included.
Great questions to ask when preparing for a hospital visit are:
May I stay overnight with my child in their room?
What are the visitation policies for siblings and family?
Is there a playroom in the hospital for my child to use?
How can I help my child if she is in pain?
How long will the procedure take? What are the risks/benefits?
Will I be able to accompany my child to the operating room?
What is the planned chain of events for this admission? Remember: flexibility is important
Are there a TV and VCR in the room?
Is there a refrigerator to store food/formula/breast milk?
Is there a room designated for breastfeeding and pumping?
Are there hospital school services available?
Is there a Child Life Specialist that can help me and my child cope with the experience?
