It is important as parents and carers as well as practitioners to ensure children are as comfortable as possible when entering into a new situation. Not only is it important for parents and carers to support their child when a hospital admission is needed, it is also important for Early Years Practitioners. There are many different strategies and techniques which can be put in place by both parties to support a child’s emotional needs at this time.
It can be very tempting not to talk to children about their hospital visit because you do not want to worry or scare them. However, children who have not been prepared for their hospital visit may find it a very difficult experience. It is important that children learn to work through their concerns before the stage actually approaches. Children can understand their medical condition a lot more than what parents or caregivers believe. It is vital that children do not get confused by providing little or no information about their condition or the treatment they will have go through. It can often be hard to find the right way to explain to the child about their treatment, especially if as a parent this treatment has never been experienced. Sometimes it cannot be helped if a child has to be admitted into hospital, however, if a child is diagnosed with a condition which will more than likely mean hospital admission then it is important to make them aware about this. Many different hospitals offer families a ‘pre-admission’ visit. This visit allows the child to have a tour of the ward and different areas of the hospital. This can be a very useful way for the child to become familiar with the people and places they will see throughout their time in hospital.
Children often benefit from simple, honest and reassuring explanations about the condition they have and the treatment they will undergo. It can be very help to encourage the child to talk about their operation and ask questions. Children learn through their imagination, so they may feel more comfortable acting out how the hospital visit will be. During this imagination session it is important to introduce the child to certain things that they will be bringing into hospital with them such as their favourite toy or a hospital bag containing the correct clothing etc. There is never going to be a good time to talk to a child about a hospital visit or their condition, however the best timing for this discussion can vary on age and the stage of development in which the child is at.
It can often be more of a concern if a child has special needs. It is often very common for children with special needs to need extra hospital care even if it is just for investigation or check up. Many children with special needs find visiting a hospital very challenging and may find it difficult to cope with certain medical procedures. The main factor for this is often the loss of normal daily routine and being in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people. However, there are many trained staff members that are there to help aid the child particular needs and preferences. It is clear that every child has individual abilities and needs, and there will never be a single method of communication or preparation to suit everyone.
Not only is it important for parents and carers to follow the procedure above, but Early Years Practitioners can also aid this period. Teachers can provide children with information about hospital through school lessons. This can be done through the use of story books, the home corner or interactive games. Teachers can read a story to children about how the child has overcome their fear of the hospital or the process in which the child takes to enter into the hospital setting. This will allow the child to relate to these incidents when it is their turn. Many school settings have a corner where children can dress up set with a particular theme, at some stage within the setting teachers can introduce a hospital setting where some children play the role of the doctor or nurse and some children play the role of the patient. This will again allow children to relate to the situation when it is there time to go to hospital.
There are many different techniques which can be used to allow children to feel comfortable and secure when being admitted into hospital. Each child is different and may react differently to the situation; however, it is important to introduce these techniques even if the child is not due to be admitted into hospital.
Childhood Obesity 