Staying in the hospital with your child is never easy, but I’ve learned many tricks to make it a bit smoother. Here are tips from my experience and other parents.
Plan and Pack Ahead
Be prepared before you even get to the hospital:
- Pack a Go-Bag: Include comfy clothes for both of you (PJs, jumper, slippers), basic toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, lotion), and phone chargers (plus a power board for extra outlets).
- Entertainment & Comfort Items: Bring a tablet with favourite movies/shows, a few books or colouring items, and your child’s beloved stuffed toy or blanket. Pack snacks (muesli bars, fruit) and a few treats (like lollies for when medicine leaves a bad taste).
- Important Documents: Have a list of your child’s medications, allergies, and doctor contacts handy. Keep your Medicare card, insurance info, and ID in an easy-to-grab place for admissions.
- Home & Car Prep: Stock your freezer with a couple of ready meals for the family (for those days you’re too tired to cook). Keep vomit bags in the car – hospitals will give you some – in case your child gets sick on the drive.
Set Up a Cozy Hospital Room
Make the hospital room feel a little more like home:
- Familiar Bedding: Bring your child’s favourite pillow and blanket (and maybe one for you). The familiar smell and feel are comforting at night.
- Personal Touches: Tape up family photos, drawings, or a fun poster on the wall. If it’s a holiday or birthday during the stay, add a small decoration to celebrate.
- Control Noise & Light: Use earplugs or a white noise app to mask hospital noises at night. Drape a towel or cover bright monitor lights to help everyone sleep better.
- Keep a Routine: Stick to a normal routine – pyjamas on at bedtime, regular clothes in the morning. It helps signal “daytime” and “night-time” for both of you.
- Creature Comforts: Use your own gentle soap and hand lotion when you can (it smells nicer than hospital soap and soothes dry skin). Keep your child’s cuddly toy close by for comfort (just check it doesn’t get bundled with the bedsheets during laundry!).
Keep Your Child Engaged and Entertained
Boredom busters for long hospital days:
- Screen Time: A tablet or laptop with their favourite shows and games can be a great distraction during long waits. If allowed, you can also connect a game console to the room’s TV for some interactive fun.
- Activities: Pack colouring books, small crafts, cards or puzzles to keep hands busy and minds engaged.
- Hospital Playrooms & Activities: Check if the ward has a playroom or daily activities. Many children’s hospitals host bingo on the TV, bring in therapy dogs, or have volunteers who do magic tricks or read stories. Joining these can brighten your child’s day.
- Walks & Adventures: If your child can leave the room, take short walks in the hall or a visit to the hospital garden. We turned hallway strolls into a mini “safari hunt” for fun signs and stickers – it gave my son a change of scenery and a bit of exercise.
- Humour & Play: Laughter is great medicine. Be silly together – tell jokes, watch a funny cartoon, or play pretend. One cheeky tip: we brought a toy Nerf gun and let our son playfully “ambush” a friendly doctor (with permission). It had everyone laughing and eased a lot of tension. Embrace those goofy moments when you can.
Stay Positive and Make Memories
Your attitude sets the tone – find silver linings where possible:
- Celebrate Small Wins: A good lab result, a completed treatment, or even a day with no vomit – celebrate it. Give high-fives, a little cheer, or let your child choose the bedtime story. These mini-celebrations boost morale and remind your child that progress is happening.
- Something to Look Forward To: Plan a special family treat for after discharge (a beach trip, a BBQ, or a movie night). Talk about it to remind your child (and yourself) that there’s a fun event waiting at the end of this journey.
- Capture Good Moments: Take photos of happy times – silly faces with a nurse, your child painting, or a thumbs-up after a procedure. Later you can make a scrapbook of the “hospital adventure.” It helps you both remember that even in tough times, there were smiles.
- Stay Optimistic (but Honest): Try to keep an upbeat tone around your child. Use hopeful words like “when you get better, we’ll…” to instill confidence. At the same time, acknowledge their feelings: if your child says “I hate this,” it’s okay to agree it’s hard and reassure them that it’s okay to feel that way. Then pivot to something positive (“Let’s watch that funny video you love to cheer up a bit”).
- Be There Emotionally: Sometimes your child just needs you to be present. Hold their hand during tough moments. Cuddle with them and watch cartoons. I’ve spent nights crammed in the hospital bed next to my daughter just so she could sleep soundly – it wasn’t comfy for me, but it made her feel safe. Your love and attention are the best comfort you can give.
Take Care of Yourself
A healthy parent is a better caregiver. Don’t neglect your own needs:
- Take Care of Yourself: Eat regularly (snack if you don’t have time for meals), drink water, and rest when you can. Take a quick shower each day and change into fresh clothes – it refreshes you and lifts your mood.
- Ask for Help: Tag-team with a partner or relative so each of you can take short breaks outside the room. If you’re solo, let the nurses know – they can watch your child for a few minutes while you grab a coffee or a breath of fresh air. When someone offers help (like bringing a meal or picking up your mail), say yes!
- Mental Breaks: Give yourself permission to take short mental breaks. Read a few pages of a book, scroll through some funny memes, or take a brisk walk down the corridor. I sometimes walked to a farther vending machine just to clear my head. A little “me time” helps you recharge. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider talking to a hospital counsellor or joining a parent support group – it can be a huge relief to share with people who understand.
Work with the Hospital Staff
You and the medical team share the same goal – helping your child get better. Teamwork is key:
- Communicate Openly: Don’t hesitate to ask the doctors and nurses questions. If you’re unsure about a procedure or medication, speak up. I often repeat info back in my own words (“So this scan will check her lungs, right?”) to ensure I understand. The staff wants you to be informed and comfortable with the care plan.
- Be Prepared for Rounds: Doctors usually come by each morning. Try to be awake and present. Keep a notepad or your phone notes ready with any questions or observations (like “She seemed less nauseous after that new medicine”). This shows the team you’re engaged and it helps you remember the answers later. If the doctor’s explanation gets too technical, it’s absolutely okay to say, “Could you explain that in simpler terms?” – they will.
- Share Your Insights: You know your child best. If your child is terrified of a certain process (say the blood pressure cuff), mention it – nurses might do it on the leg instead of the arm. If one nurse always gets the IV in on the first try, it’s fine to ask if they can do the next one. Also inform the staff about what comforts or motivates your child (e.g., “He’s really into dinosaurs” might prompt a doctor to use a dino metaphor when explaining something to him).
- Show Appreciation: A kind word goes a long way. Thank the nurses and doctors often – they’re working hard for your child. If a staff member has been especially wonderful, mention it to them or their supervisor. Building a positive relationship with the team creates a warmer environment. I found that when the staff knew I appreciated them, they were even more attentive and empathetic.
Lean on Your Support Network
You’re not in this alone – rally the troops around you:
- Accept Help: When friends or neighbours offer assistance, take it. Maybe you need someone to pick up your other kids from school or drop off a hot meal at the hospital. People truly want to support you, so let them lighten your load.
- Family & Friends: Let siblings visit or video chat when possible, and ask your child’s friends to send cards or messages. Feeling love from home boosts morale.
- Community Support: Don’t be shy about tapping into community resources. Local charities or groups often provide free meals, housing near the hospital, or fun outings for sick kids and their families. The hospital social worker can connect you with these services. It can make a huge difference, practically and emotionally, to have that extra support from the community.
Remember: this hospital stay will pass. With preparation, positivity, and support, you and your child will get through it together. You’re not alone in this – you’ve got a whole team of people ready to help. Stay strong and take it one step at a time.