Sick Children in Hospital: How to Help, What to Do

How hospital stays affect children at different ages

A hospital stay will affect different children in different ways, depending on age, the reason for their hospitalization, and temperament. Temperament is how your child reacts to new or unfamilliar situations. For example, you might know your child to be easy-going, or more shy or unsure in new situations. Keep reading to learn how to help with some of these issues.

Birth to 12 months (1 year old)

• Babies at this age usually develop many new skills. Being at the hospital sometimes does not allow them to practice these skills. These skills may included rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking.
• Babies may not get enough sensory stimulation, for example music, sunlight, body positions, touch, and toys.
• If the baby's family is not able to stay often or able to hold the baby, the baby's relationship with people may be affected.

12 months to 24 months (1 year to 2 years old)

• Children continue to develop new skills. Opportunities to develop these skills may be limited by illness.
• Daily routines are different and so sleeping and eating patterns can change while your child is in hospital. Once your child is home again and back to familiar routines and surroundings, those eating and sleeping patterns will return to normal.
• Children are developing trust in their caregivers. This can be difficult at the hospital, because there are many people involved with the child's care during what are often stressful circumstances.
• Being away from family is very stressful, because children at this age are often fearful of strangers.
• Children of this age often do not fully understand why they are in hospital.

2 years to 5 years

• Being away from home and familliar routines is stressful.
• Children may be afraid they will be hurt by hospital procedures.
• Children may believe they did something wrong and that is why they are now in the hospital.
• These children may know more about their bodies, but their understanding is still limited.
• Language skills are developing fast, but children may misunderstand words they hear.

5 years to 12 years

• Being away from home, school, and friends is often stressful.
• Fear of needles and pain is common.
• Fears about surgery, for example falling asleep and pain after surgery, are common.

12 years and older

• Being away from home, school, and friends is often stressful.
• Privacy is often important
• Teenagers may be more aware of and concerned with long-term effects of illness.