Going home

Your child's doctor or nurse will let you know when your child is ready to go home. Before leaving the hospital, please be sure that you:

• understand any treatment or medication you will need to give your child at home
• have a prescription for any medication your child will need
• have written instructions if you were told to expect them
• have--or know how to make--a follow-up appointment
• have your child's hospital and Medicare cards

After a hospital stay, you may notice your child acting differently. This is normal. Some children take longer to adjust than others. There is no need to worry about these changes unless they are severe or last for an unusual period of time. If this is the case, please be sure to talk to your child's physician.

Differences you may notice in your child include:

• changes in eating patterns
• regressing (going backwards) in behaviour (toilet training, thumb sucking, using a pacifier)
• changes in sleep patterns (nightmares, excessive sleeping, difficulty falling asleep)
• seeming more needy or demanding, requesting more of your time and attention
• difficulty in being separated from you or your spouse, even for short periods of time

You can help your child through this transition period by being patient, providing extra love and attention, and sticking to a normal routine at home.

You can also help your child express feelings with activities like painting, drawing, pounding clay, beating a drum or throwing a ball. These activities help your child express his feelings safely.

Allow your child to play "doctor" or "nurse" and pretend that puppets or dolls are patients. Children learn, integrate and adapt to their experiences through play.

If your child needs further care
Some children need daily nursing procedures which do not require a stay in hospital. Your child may be referred to the Alternative Care Module(ACM), an extension of the 7th floor surgical wards.

The Intensive Ambulatory Care Service(IACS) provides alternatives to hospitalization for children with acute, chronic and/or complex illnesses requiring specialized care.