When a Child Needs to Be Hospitalized - Hospital Tips You Should Know Before Going to the Hospital

Hospitals can be scary places for everyone, but seem especially so to a child. Children have special needs, both emotional and physical, and you should choose your hospital very carefully, with that in mind.

The first thing you should know is that not all hospitals are appropriate (or the safest) places for children facing surgeries, cancer treatments or care for a serious illness. You should also know that just because a hospital uses the words "for children" in its advertising, does not necessarily mean they are the best place for them.

In general, hospitals that have special licensing to treat children (ie: Children's Hospitals that ONLY treat children) are among the best choices to assure that your child will receive the best and most appropriate care. Children's hospitals have specially licensed staff that includes all the pediatric specialties (cardiac, cancer, surgery, etc) and all the appropriate equipment (child sized) that comes with these special places.

Your child's doctor or surgeon should also be licensed in his/her pediatric specialty. Nurses and other ancillary staff should be specially trained to meet both the physical and the emotional needs of a hospitalized child.

The ambiance of a children's specialty hospital should seem brighter, cheerier and have toys, videos and other options to help a frightened child feel more at home.

In addition, the following hospital tips can be used to further enhance a hospitalization for a child:

1. If possible, bring the child to the hospital for a tour before the day of his/her surgery or treatment, especially if it is their first time in a hospital. Make an appointment with the hospital liaison (through the Admitting Department) to have a sympathetic nurse walk the child through the process, to help lessen the scariness on the day of the surgery.

2. Allow the child to bring a beloved doll or stuffed animal to the hospital on the day of surgery. A well-laundered favorite blanket is also a good choice.

3. Talk to the child, in advance, about after the surgery/treatment, ie, how much better he will feel or how you will fix her favorite treat when she comes home. This gives the child something positive to fixate on that extends beyond the hospital experience.

4. Plan to spend as much time as possible in your child's room after the surgery or treatment. If possible, it would be best to spend the night with him, not only for his reassurance to have you close by but also to monitor the care that he is receiving. Many hospitals will provide a cot or recliner to sleep on overnight. You will probably be uncomfortable but your child will do better with you close by. Make sure you know what has been prescribed by the child's doctor and don't be afraid or intimidated to question any medication that does not match what you have been told.

5. Makes sure that your child is kept warm enough. Hospitals are notoriously chilly places. You should also bring a sweater and blanket/pillow for yourself.

6. Don't expect hospital staff to give your child a bath/shower. In most cases, you will be expected to provide this kind of care, yourself, should it be needed.

7. Bring all your child's personal hygiene needs with you, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, mirror, etc. The hospital will not provide these items for you. In addition, bring her favorite pajamas, robe and slippers. The pj's should button or zip up the front, to allow ease of examination by the staff.

A hospital visit for a child can be much less traumatic if you follow these simple hospital tips. And remember, most important of all is your own personal attitude. If you seem calm and patient, your child will pick up on that and feel that she is in good hands. A relaxed child is much more likely to heal faster and do better, in general, than one who is rigid with anxiety and fear.

Author CL Davison is a former hospital administrator with a national hospital chain and is now a business owner and writer. Please visit [http://www.med-tips.com].

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Going to a Rehabilitation Hospital? Here Are 7 Questions You Should Ask

If your medical team is recommending a stay in a rehabilitation hospital before you go home, you probably need to get stronger and the rehab hospital is the perfect place for intensive therapy. Below are seven questions you will want to ask.

1. How much therapy will I receive?

At a rehab hospital, each patient is placed in an intensive therapy program, based on individual needs. A patient will often receive several hours of therapy per day to aid in recovery, which may be a combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

2. Why is a rehab hospital being recommended for me?

In most cases, you are sent to a rehab hospital when you are too "well" for the acute care hospital but not yet strong enough to return home. Usually, you will receive more therapy in a rehab hospital than you would receive in a skilled nursing facility. (You will also receive more therapy in a skilled nursing facility than in an assisted living facility.)

3. How many days of insurance coverage you will have at the rehab hospital?

Do not assume that because you have Medicare and supplemental insurance that all of your days of admission will be covered. And conversely, the rehab hospital may be reluctant to let you go before all of your days are used up. It is astounding, but sometimes family members have to argue to get a patient discharged before all of the days are used up.It is often a delicate balance to determine how much time in a rehab hospital is "enough." If you leave the hospital before staff recommends it, you may have to sign documents acknowledging that you are signing out "AMA" or "against medical advice." If you do leave "AMA," you will have to do extra planning to return safely to your home.

4. How much therapy does my insurance cover? How many visits? How much per visit?

You cannot assume that all of your therapy charges will be covered-ask this before you get transferred there. See if your insurance requires therapy preapproval, and if so, how many visits will be covered. In some cases, you may end up with a bill for the unpaid therapy services. You will want to confirm whether you will be required to pay any residual balance after your insurance(s) have paid.

5. Which rehab hospital is being recommended?

You may have a choice on which rehab hospital to choose, depending on where you live. There could be a rehab hospital that specializes in brain injuries, for example. If you had head trauma, it might make more sense to reside there and get the utmost benefit available, and maybe have a shorter stay than one at a rehab hospital that does not have the same experience and expertise. If you have a choice to make about which rehab hospital to choose, you will want to gather some information about each. You will want to get the name, address, phone number, and name of the contact person for each facility. See if the facility specializes in treating people with your particular diagnosis. You will need to know what therapy services are being recommended for you, and if they are available at each facility.

6. What should I bring?

The rehab hospital will provide the medical equipment and other adaptive devices to aid in your recovery. There are other things you can bring to make your stay more comfortable. If you brought clothing and toiletries with you to the acute care hospital, you may want to bring them to the rehab hospital. Things you might consider bringing include the following: robe, socks, sweater, scarf, headband, slippers, pillow, blanket, sleep mask, ear plugs, earphones, razor, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, books, magazines, DVDs, DVD player, radio, and basic toiletries. Bring several sets of loose and comfortable clothes, and don't forget sturdy walking shoes. You will be expected to be dressed each day, so your bathrobe and slippers are for nighttime only.

7. Should I bring my prescription medicines?

It is also a good idea to have a 2- to 3-day supply of your medications to bring with you to the rehab hospital. In this way, in case there is a mix-up of some kind, you are assured that you will not miss any doses of medicine.

In conclusion, a stay at a rehab hospital will give you the chance to recover from your illness to the greatest extent possible. The services provided are tailored to your needs, and will get you to the point where you can return home with increased mobility and functionality.

Smalltown Duo, owned by Sibyl Day and Mary Benson, specializes in medical and legal books for consumers. They publish a popular book called "What Did the Doctor Say? A Guide for Leaving the Hospital." The book covers topics such as questions to ask about your diagnosis, medications, doctor visits, and avoiding common medical errors. For more information, visit their website. http://www.SmalltownDuo.com

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