It is possible to provide specialized care to children suffering from chronic conditions. Frankly, providing care in a comfortable home environment is not without challenges. Safe pediatric in-home care prevents prolonged hospital stays by organizing supplies and maintaining equipment at home.
Pediatric home health care poses new and difficult challenges each day for the family members and caregivers. Undoubtedly, it would not be easy but often in-home care provides comfort to the child and leads to quicker recovery. However, it keeps the family together under one roof and allows you to take care of other responsibilities as well.
Pediatric Home Care Tips & How-Tos
In the beginning, welcoming in-home caregivers and getting used to the new normal may feel overwhelming and exhausting. Often, parents are hesitant to give this important responsibility to nurses and caregivers, however, they will ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home.
Plan Ahead
Before hospital discharge, family members should be prepared for the difficult challenges that lay ahead. They must be trained to deal with different emergencies and provide the care that their child needs. Make sure most of the family members know how to use medical devices and fully understand the child’s condition.
They know what to do in case of an emergency, how to perform CPR, and which healthcare provider to call if the situation worsens. Depending on the child’s medical condition, the hospital staff will inform you about what you need to know.
Modify the Kid’s Room
With the help of hospital staff, learn how to use medical equipment, preventive maintenance, and backup procedures. Make sure that the child’s nursery can accommodate special medical equipment and ventilators and have sufficient electric outlets to connect medical devices.
Keep a phone in the kid’s room, so anyone can call right from the room without leaving the bedside. Plan for potential challenges and emergencies like power outages, natural disasters, and fires.
Home Healthcare Assistance
It is extremely difficult for parents to care for their children without assistance from in-home caregivers. Hire nurses and aides to help with the care when you are working or doing regular family activities.
If the child is suffering from a chronic medical condition, trained healthcare professionals would be needed for the care.
Feeding & Toileting
Ventilator-dependent children often have trouble eating food, therefore, they get food through tubes also called tube feeding. The Nasogastric tube and feeding tube provides nutrition directly to the stomach and intestine. In extreme cases, doctors use IV pumps to provide a mixture of liquid nutrients.
Children suffering from acute conditions can not control when they stool or urinate, therefore, use diapers, catheters, or colostomy bags for toileting. Make sure you have all the supplies at home before welcoming the child home.
Final Thoughts
Following hospital discharge, providing home care treatment to the child can be overwhelming for the parents and often exhausting. During these difficult times, it is important to make time for yourself, go for a walk, have coffee with friends, or exercise to get the energy to fight the tough battle.
