Health issues are often covered in newspapers and magazines, and on radio and television. The coverage of health issues in the media tends to be simplistic, and reports of new findings or new treatments are often sensationalised. Ask your doctor for information on issues of interest to you, as you are much more likely to obtain accurate and appropriate information.
Hospitalisation is a major stress for the child, and usually for the parents and the rest of the family too. Many parents find the hospital environment impersonal and a little intimidating. It is sometimes disconcerting to have to relate to different health professionals, to have to repeat the medical history a number of times, and to have your child disturbed frequently by repeated examinations or tests. Nurses and doctors may change according to their rosters, so discontinuity of care is the rule rather than the exception. All this can exacerbate your understandable anxiety about the health of your child. The child himself experiences major changes to his routine, a new and sometimes threatening environment, and often pain and a loss of physical well-being. There are a number of things that parents can do to make this time easier for the child and for themselves.
*16\90\8*
