Caring for your Hospitalized Child
Infants: birth to 18 months
Hospital stressors
- Disruption of routine, sleep and feeding patterns
- Loud noises, sudden movements and bright lights
- Separation from parents
Common reactions
- Fussiness, crying and irritability
How parents can help
- Spend time with, hold and talk to your baby as much as possible
- Decrease noise level and bright lights
- Swaddle in blanket when not holding
- Provide calming music
Toddlers and preschoolers: 18 months to 5 years
Hospital stressors
- Fear of separation from parents
- Stranger anxiety, fear of medical staff
- Unfamiliar environment
- Loss of control, independence and mobility
Common reactions
- Clinging to parents
- Irritability and crying
- Regression of recently learned developmental skills
- Uncooperative and resistant behavior
How parents can help
- Provide physical and emotional support with hugs and encouraging words
- Allow your child to make appropriate choices to feel more in control
- Let your child play: bring favorite toys or stuffed animals
- Normalize the environment by hanging up pictures of family and friends
School-age: 6-12 years
Hospital stressors
- Misconceptions about hospitalization
- Loss of control, independence and mobility
- Fear of pain
Common reactions
- Regression
- Acting out
- Withdrawn
How parents can help
- Encourage play and expression of emotions
- Allow child participation in care
- Be honest and use child-friendly language to help them understand their illness and treatment
- Treat as normally as possible
Adolescents: 13-18 years
Hospital stressors
- Separation from friends, school and extracurricular activities
- Loss of independence and privacy
- Fear of bodily harm/deformity and death
Common reactions
- Anger and frustration
- Withdrawn
How parents can help
- Allow peer contact and visitation
- Respect privacy
- Involve adolescent in medical care and decisions
- Communicate honestly
- Continue education/schooling