Hospitalization of the child is very stressful experience that sometimes can even threaten how the remains stable. The hospitalization of the child leads the child to an unfamiliar environment. The child suffers from separation from her parents and the situation is a crisis marked by pain and discomfort. The children do not have skills to cope with stressful situations because they are young. For the parents, hospitalization of the child makes them suffer psychologically. The parents also experience financial constraints because they have to pay for the bills in the hospital. The parents experience physical stress and the environment the child is hospitalized really disturbs them.
Research shows that hospitalization of children under the age of five leads to emotional stress to the child. The separation of the child from the mother during hospital admission leads to abnormal development on the child. Maternal care is essential for the development of the child and it really affects the child of the child in the later years. The hospitalization has short-term effects on the behavior of the child after discharge from the hospital. The child experiences nervousness and have a difficulty in sleeping (La Greca, 337). They become aggressive because of the separation from the parent.
The children under hospitalization should receive care from both the nursing staff and the parent. The parents should have access to the child most of time and if possible, the parents should have accommodation in the hospital (Thompson, 51). This will help reduce the negative effects of hospitalization. The child should undergo a pre-admission program that prepares the children to stay in the hospital. This program aims get the child to know what happens during the hospitalization period and allow them to meet the nursing staff. This program also gives parents the opportunity to ask questions and offer their suggestions on the care of the child. The nursing staff should provide emotional support to the parents. This happens by listening to them and providing them with the health information of the child. This makes the parent to feel assured of the condition of the child.
Works Cited
La, Greca A. M. Stress and Coping in Child Health. New York: Guilford Press, 1992. Print.
Thompson, Richard A. The Handbook of Child Life: A Guide for Pediatric Psychosocial Care. Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher, LTD, 2009. Internet resource.
