These are normal and natural feelings. But, with adequate preparation, a stay in hospital can be a positive experience. You'll feel more at ease if you're well informed and have support arranged for you and your whānau. A relative or family friend may be able to help with visiting or care of any other children you have.
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Preparing your child for hospital
Key points about preparing your child for hospital
- You will feel more at ease if you're well informed about your child's hospital visit and have support arranged for you and your whānau (family).
- It's important to give tamariki information simply and truthfully, in words they understand.
- Tell them that they will be going to hospital and what they can expect to happen while they're there.
- If your child it prepared, they'll find it easier to cope with their hospital experience.
It's important to give tamariki information simply and truthfully, in words they understand. Tell them that they'll be going to hospital and what they can expect to happen there. Reassure your child that someone can stay with them in hospital. A prepared child will find it easier to cope with their hospital experience.
Image credit: Depositphotos
Before your child's hospital stay, find out as much as possible about what will happen:
- How long will your child need to stay?
- Can you be present during procedures, eg, X-rays and scans?
- Can brothers and sisters visit at any time?
- What facilities are there for you to stay with your child?
- If your child needs an anaesthetic, can you be with them when the anaesthetic is given and in the recovery room afterwards?
- If your child has special needs, is the hospital aware of these and what support is available?
- Is there a pre-admission or play preparation programme to help tamariki understand what will happen?
Clothing
It can be a good idea to involve your child in packing a bag to take to hospital, if possible. Tamariki can usually wear their own clothes or nightwear if they wish, so pack these.
Toys and books
Pack something familiar and comforting, eg, a cuddly, a favourite toy or game or pictures of family. You can pack some activities (eg, books or colouring) in case they feel up to it.
Equipment
If your child has special needs, you'll need to bring any mobility aids and any other resources that they normally need or use. Bring the car seat, if needed, for when your child leaves the hospital.
Your own bag
Don't forget to pack a bag for yourself or the person who'll stay with your child. Bring clothing and something to occupy you when needed, eg, a book. It may be helpful to have money on hand for snacks.
Play is familiar and reassuring. It's how tamariki make sense of the world around them. In hospital, it helps children to learn and develop and to feel less anxious. It also helps them to express their feelings, understand what's happening and cope with treatment. Many hospitals have play specialists who can suggest how best to prepare your child.
It's important to be with your child as much as you can so that they continue to feel loved and safe. Younger children especially will cope with the hospital experience best if a parent or other trusted person stays with them. If you have to leave, tell your child that you're going, and leave confidently, even if this causes distress. Make sure your child’s nurse knows you're leaving and when you'll be back. Talk to your child about timelines that make sense to them. For example, tell them you'll be back after lunch or as long as it takes to watch a favourite movie.
When children go home, it's common for them and their brothers and sisters to need extra love, patience and attention until they feel secure again. It's likely that your child's behaviour may change for a time. They may worry more about things in general, particularly their health or minor injuries. They may be more 'clingy' or babyish. Eating and sleeping habits may change. They may be fearful in situations that remind them of hospital or of illness. All of these are very common reactions and should pass in time.
Opportunities to share their feelings, to talk about their experience if they want to, and to play 'hospitals' will help. Older children may also like to draw pictures or make a book about their hospital stay.
Image credit: Canva
If you're worried or if your child's changed behaviour continues beyond a few weeks, you could contact:
- Hospital Play Specialists Association(external link)
- your usual healthcare provider
- the charge nurse or social worker on your child's hospital ward
- Whānau Āwhina Plunket(external link)
- PlunketLine on 0800 933 922
- Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Making hospital visits easier for your child(external link) Hospital Play Specialists Association of Aotearoa, NZ
Plunket | Whānau Āwhina(external link) Plunket Whānau Āwhina is a nationwide support network for families and whānau with children from 0 to 5 years old.
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Credits: Content shared between HealthInfo Canterbury, KidsHealth and Healthify He Puna Waiora as part of a National Health Content Hub Collaborative.
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