For Parents: What to Expect When You Get Home From Your Child's Hospital Stay

A stay in the hospital can upset the normal routines of the entire family.

Coming home requires some adjustment for everyone, and the recovery process will differ for each child and family.

Tips For You and Your Child After Discharge

After discharge from the hospital:

Both you and your child will need time to rest and adjust. Just as it took time to get ready to go to the hospital, it will take time at home to recover.
Talk with your child and loved ones about what happened.
Be sure to take quiet time to collect yourself.
Do things to help get back to a normal routine.
Don't expect too much too soon. Take all the time you need.

The following chart outlines some phases you, as parents, may go through once your child comes home.

Parents' Interaction	Phase 1	Phase 2	Phase 3
Child	Spending extra time with child. Allowing clinging/regressive behavior.	Allowing some special privileges. Needing signals from child that he/she is okay.	Getting back to a normal family routine.
Spouse/Partner	Talking about your child's hospital stay. Sharing feelings.	Spending special time alone with your spouse or partner. Assessing the impact of hospital expenses.	Resuming your normal relationship.
Friends/Relatives	Accepting help from special friends or relatives. Making some phone calls.	Needing less help from others Meeting up with friends and loved ones.	Getting back to your normal social life.
Jobs/Community	Calling the hospital for comfort. Adjusting your work schedule.	Resuming your normal activities and work duties.	Feeling unthreatened about and comfort with routine Heart Institute visits. Getting back to your normal adult life.

If you have any questions or concerns, call us.

Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
One Children’s Hospital Way
4401 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224

In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.

For general information and inquiries, please call 412-692-5325.
To make an appointment, you can schedule online or call 412-692-7337 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
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