With the child in the hospital: checklist

Visiting, bowel movements and browning: children in the hospital

April 13, 2011, 11:33 am | mmh, t-online.de

Children in the hospital: Parents are responsible for mental help. (Photo: imago)

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If a hospital stay is planned, you can prepare a child for what will happen, you can pack your favorite cuddly toy and the other things you need. But often it happens surprisingly quickly, then not only the children, but also the most relaxed parents are largely overwhelmed. Our checklist helps you to keep your head clear when you are in the hospital with your child. In principle, the following applies in emergencies: It is best for mom and dad to accompany their child to the hospital and stay with him if it can be organized in any way. Our tips will help you.

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Sunday evening: The fever climbs to over 40, the boy whimpers and bends with abdominal pain, the signs of appendicitis intensify, no doctor can be reached, so off to the emergency room. Dad grabs the car key, mom packs underwear, toothbrush and pajamas – for himself and for him small. There you first have to wait, always describe symptoms, wait for examinations and wait again and keep your nerve. Finally the message: We keep it there for observation.

Who accompanies the child to the hospital?

No matter how old the child is, it is a new, confusing situation: pain, insecurity, strangers. Should it stay there alone? Parents should run through such scenarios, consider outside of times of crisis whether a parent and who would accompany the child to the hospital, who could possibly look after the siblings. Because even for larger school children, however confident they are, the environment, the situation, and being with other people is confusing.

Doctors jargon overwhelm children

"Did you have bowel movements today? ”She looks friendly pediatric nurse the little patient, and repeats the question several times. Marcel, eight, doesn’t understand what she means. His mom is out and about in the house doing some "paperwork". She has had to do this all the time since they arrived at the children’s clinic last night.

Where is the chair going??

"Kacka, big in the toilet" or something like that, children would describe what only doctors and nurses "bowel movement" call. A medical survey usually overwhelms the little ones if the parents are not there. So is the question of allergies or previous illnesses in the family. Even schoolchildren are required to comply with the necessary hygiene regulations, especially if they are weak, feverish, in pain or connected to infusions. It is best to accompany the child to the clinic right from the start and to support him, this provides relief for the child and the staff and ultimately increases the chances of a cure.

Accompanying persons relieve mental stress

Doctors and nurses heal the physical ailments, the accompanying persons alleviate mental stress. Of course, nurses and doctors are especially trained in dealing with the little ones at a children’s and adolescent ward, but children often find a lot of examinations to be an intervention in their own private sphere, but they cannot formulate it. When mom or dad are there, it gives them security. The task of the parents is to comfort and explain. It is a difficult balancing act between hinting and explaining exactly what lies ahead for the child. Honesty is of course fundamental better as trivialization, that would be a breach of trust, but think carefully about how much detail you want the child to expect. It depends on the situation and the child, how exactly they explain what happens during a blood sample, enema or surgery.

Parents have the right to accompany their children

Parents are generally allowed to accompany their children to the hospital; the official visiting times do not apply to them. When inpatient admission, doctors should always ask whether a caregiver should also be admitted. Unfortunately, the costs for overnight stays and meals have to be borne by the child from a certain age, often health insurance companies cover part of the costs, especially if a doctor confirms that the accompaniment is useful or desirable for recovery. To this end, the parents and the hospital conclude a contract.

Don’t let it wash away

Occasionally, children’s wards are overcrowded, then it can happen that parents of larger children – i.e. from school age – are advised to leave the child here alone. "He is so big, he can do it", sounds trustworthy, but you know your child best. Especially children who are homesick on school trips should not be left alone. Be persistent and insist.

Today, hospital stays after operations such as appendix are much shorter than in the childhood of the current generation of parents. Sometimes it may be enough to accompany the child on the first or even the second night and then only come during the day. This is often easier to organize. In the case of chronic or protracted illnesses, 24-hour support is hardly feasible anyway.

Important NOTE: The information is by no means a substitute for professional advice or treatment by trained and recognized doctors. The contents of t-online.de cannot and must not be used to independently diagnose or start treatments.