Home   About Us   Divisions   Ask a Med-U-Nurse   Health Library   Find a Doctor   For Physicians   Job Opportunities   Make a Difference   News & Events   Research   Residents & Fellows   Your Hospital Visit    What to Bring    FAQs    Visitor Information    PCICU Family Guide    Where to Stay    Tour Our Hospital    Building Maps    Departments & Programs    Inpatient Units    Preparing for Surgery    Money & Finance    Meeting Everyone    Applause Form 171 Ashley Ave. Charleston, SC 29425 843-792-1414 800-424-MUSC		Print Version PCICU Family Information: Preparing Brothers and Sisters to Visit the PCICU Having a child in the PCICU is very stressful for the entire family. As a parent, you worry about the sick child and any children remaining at home. You may have concerns about the affect on the children at home. You spend less time at home and when you are home, you have less energy to spend time with your well children. Visiting may help decrease their stress. A child's fear/anxiety may lessen when they know what to expect during their visit. Here are some tips: You can arrange for a child life specialist to have an individual medical playtime to help prepare the children for their first visit. If you have concerns about your child's emotional reaction following a visit to PCICU, please contact the child life specialist. Tell them what they will see (lights, machines, bandages, and any physical changes), hear (beeps, voices), smell (medicines), and feel. Tell them what to expect from the hospitalized child ("You will not see John move because he has medicine to make him sleepy"). Let them know what they can do (talk, sing, hold their sibling's hand). A photo of your hospitalized child allows siblings to "see" the child before the visit and ask questions. Give them a choice about visiting. Some siblings may not be ready. Here are some helpful hints to help maintain a more normal home routine: Keep discipline methods and daily routines the same as much as possible. Communicate with the child's teacher about their sibling's hospitalization. Provide opportunities for play to express feelings. Tape yourself reading a story so your child can hear you at any time. Be honest about the hospitalized child's condition and give them updates. Never lie about the hospitalized child. Recognize their feelings (and your own) and assure them that these feelings are normal. Hang photos of the siblings around the bedside. Encourage siblings to draw pictures or make cards for the sibling to hang from the crib. The child life specialist and your child's nurse can talk with you about how to help children cope with this hospitalization. If you are at all concerned about your other children, discuss it with your nurse. Back | Next
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