Preparing Your Family for Your Child's Extended Hospital Stay

If your child is to be hospitalized for any length of time, it will take some planning to prepare yourself and your family for the change in environment. This article deals primarily with preparing parents and siblings, not the patient. We will be focusing on the practical day to day things to make your hospital experience a little less stressful.

Temporary Housing

When your child is hospitalized in a city other than your hometown you may be forced to make a temporary move. You will probably want to spend as much time as possible at your child's bedside but there are certain things that just don't stop--laundry still needs to be done and meals eaten. If you have other children and they are with you, you will have to tend to their needs as well. You may have to think about temporary housing for yourself and your family.

You might get away with a night or two in a waiting room (maybe longer if you migrate from waiting room to waiting room) but if you're looking at more than a two or three day stay you will want to look for a space to stash your stuff and put your feet up.

Ask the hospital's social worker or the information desk about the Ronald McDonald House and other temporary housing options. The Ronald McDonald House is like a second home for patient's families during a child's extended hospital stay. Some hospitals have attached hotels or special arrangements for discounts at local hotels.

Meals

Ask some friends and family to pitch in and help you prepare for your child's extended hospital stay. Frozen meals that can be easily reheated will save you money and provide home-cooked meals with minimal prep time. Ronald McDonald Houses and similar facilities have kitchens where you can store and cook your own food. They also sometimes host dinners in which community groups provide, prepare and serve meals to patient's families.

Packing up food from home can save time and money. Look for foods that are easy to prepare and clean up after. Cereals and individual packets of instant oatmeal are quick breakfast solutions, and canned tuna, lunchmeat and microwave meals do nicely for lunches. Temporary housing facilities such as the Ronald McDonald Houses often have donated food products that they make available to patient's families.

Entertainment

Most children's hospitals have plenty of activities and programsfor patients and their siblings. Video games, televisions, toys and other kid paraphernalia is usually readily available. However, we as parents know that each child is different and some will need their own personal belongings with them in order to feel truly at ease. An easy way to accomplish this would be to allow each childs to pack one small bookbag with their "must have" toys, books, and so on. The bag should be small and light enough for them to carry if they are old enough, or convenient for you to tote if necessary.

Using an extra large bookbag of your own is a good idea as well, so you can take along any busywork like cross-stitch samplers or wordsearch puzzles to help pass the time. In order to keep things simple, transfer your wallet and other necessities to this bag and leave your purse at home. If you don't, you may find yourself leaving it in the darndest places all over the hospital!

To stave off boredom, you may want to stock up on new items to add a little excitement and distraction during particularly trying moments. Visit a dollar or other discount store and purchase small toys, puzzles, coloring books and other art supplies. Keep these out of sight and hand them out when your kids get bored with their own things. They'll enjoy having something new to keep their minds occupied.

A child's extended hospital stay can be stressful on the whole family. Try and keep your spirits up and make a potentially bad situation better by making an adventure out of it. Your attitude as a parent can set the tone for the entire family. Make sure to take out time for yourself, even if it is only a ten minute walk around the hospital grounds. Remember, a smile is contagious!