Going Home from a Hospital Stay
Your Child's Homecoming Will Bring its Own Set of Adjustments
The extent of these adjustments will depend on:
- The length of his or her hospital stay
- The seriousness of his or her illness
- Changes in physical abilities or appearance
- Continued medication and their effects
- His or her need for ongoing care or rehabilitation
- Changes in behavior and emotional reactions to the experience
In some cases, you may need to do as much planning as you did before going to the hospital. Here are some suggestions to smooth the way.
Before Your Child is Discharged, Make Sure You Know All About His or Her After-Care Needs.
Ask about:
- Instructions for food, medicine, wound care, and activity
- Signs or symptoms of complications that would require immediate medical attention
- Schooling arrangements; will he or she need tutoring support or special transportation and school needs
- Follow-up appointments with doctors
- Rehabilitation options, if needed
If Your Child Will Be Dependent On Supportive Technology, Either in the Short or Long Term. You'll Want to Make Plans Well in Advance of the Discharge Date.
You may need time to:
- Learn about how to operate special equipment, perform preventive maintenance and troubleshoot routine malfunctions
- Modify your home, perhaps by adding ramps or extra electrical capacity
- Arrange for in-home services
Some Children Return to Their Normal Daily Routines Quite Easily, but you Should Be Prepared for Some Common Problems That Might Occur.
A child may:
- Regress to an earlier stage of behavior
- Have sleep disturbances
- Act defiant or aggressive
- Not want to give up being the center of attention and may cling to being "ill"
Emotions or Behaviors That Didn't Come Out in the Hospital May Surface Once the Child Feels Safe at Home.
You can help by:
- Allowing your child to express anger, frustration or sadness, and offer reassurance and support
- Not leaving your child for long periods of time or overnight until he or she has settled in again
- Returning the child to his or her regular home routine as soon as possible
- Giving your child responsibilities that match his or her abilities
- Encouraging children to write stories, keep a diary, create art or put together a photo album of their experience. This is an excellent way for your child to make sense of an illness and to encourage healthy communication about it. However, don't dwell so much on your child's illness that it becomes his or her identity.
- Encouraging your child to take a role in planning and providing care at home, such as helping to change a bandage.
- Helping your child have "healthy child" fun.
Other Suggestions That Can Help
- Discuss changes with the entire family, giving siblings a chance to share their feelings and learn ways they can help.
- Make the school (both the child's and siblings') aware of special needs or issues and work with cchool counselors and nurses for your child's re-entry.
Have Questions?
If you have questions about your child's condition or would like information about a test or treatment the Ask A Medical Librarian (AAML) service offered by the Edward G. Miner Library at the University of Rochester Medical Center will provide it for you.
