Parenting Times: How To Help Your Child In The Hospital

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

How To Help Your Child In The Hospital

Being in the hospital is never easy for a child or the child's family, but it is an experience that roughly half of all children will face at some point. A hospital stay is bad enough for a rational adult, but it can be especially trying for a frightened child. Not only is the child probably in considerable physical distress, but he or she is in an unfamiliar place being cared for by strangers.

If your child is ever in the hospital, chances are that you'll want to do everything in your power to help him or her. You may think to yourself that there is only so much you can do to help, but every little bit counts. Your child will be grateful that you are doing all that you can to make him or her feel safe and comfortable.

When it comes to comforting a child during a hospital stay, the best thing you can do is to just be there. As we said above, a hospital stay can be very scary for a child, especially a young one. The fact that you are there as often as you can be will help reassure your child that he or she is safe. Talk to your child about how he or she is feeling, play games, watch TV and otherwise just spend time with him or her. It will help take the child's mind off of the situation and help him or her to relax.

You should also do your best to be there for your child when he or she is most likely to worry such as in the early morning or just before bedtime. You can even help to ease your child's mind if you have any knowledge of what he or she may be going through. Perhaps you have an EMT certification and the knowledge of medicine that goes with it. You can use that knowledge to reassure your child that he or she has nothing to worry about from the doctors and nurses.

It is also important to treat your child as normally as possible. The fact that your child is in the hospital absolutely does not change who he or she is, although your child may act differently during the hospital stay. Stick to a structured schedule, bring items from home and otherwise make sure that your child feels as much like himself or herself as possible. This can be difficult, but it is essential in helping your child feel at ease.

Another important thing to remember when your child is in the hospital is to take care of yourself. It's important to spend as much time as you can with your child and be as active in his or her care as you can, but it shouldn't be at the cost of your own health. Take breaks and get plenty of sleep. It won't do your child any good to see you exhausted or stressed out.

A hospital stay can be a trying time for your child as well as yourself, but it is very important that you are there for your child as much as you can be. Remain calm, always be there to reassure your child that things will work out and make sure that you don't stress yourself out too much.

If you would like to know more about working in a hospital or in the medical field in general, you may want to consider an education in health care. There are plenty of schools and programs available that can be completed quickly such as nursing assistant programs, EMT certification programs or schools offering surgical tech programs. You do not need to dedicate six years of your life to med school in order to work in health care, and the work itself can be very rewarding.