Frequently Asked Questions About Hospitalization

Q. Before we decide to go ahead, can I visit the unit where my child will be staying?
A. Not usually. With privacy concerns paramount these days, hospitals typically do not allow visits to inpatient units because it might violate patients' rights to confidentiality. The next best thing to visiting is asking questions of the doctors and administrators. Find out how the unit is set up and how the program is structured. What kind of treatment do the children receive, by whom, and how often? Are there separate units or groups for children and adolescents? What is the rooming set-up, and how is it determined? What do the kids do all day in the hospital?

Many times, parents are worried (appropriately so) that their kids will have therapy once a day and spend the rest of the day doing nothing, except maybe watching television and talking to kids much more ill than they are. Can you imagine the chaos and trouble that might arise if you had a group of kids just sitting around all day without structure and supervision? The goal isn't to bore them to death and cause an uprising—it's to help them. Generally, child and adolescent psychiatric programs have a schedule that includes individual, family, and group psychotherapy; a school component (so that the kids don't fall too far behind in their education); and recreational activities. There may be art therapy; dance therapy; and a quiet hour, during which the kids have some time to rest, read, and write letters. Frequent group therapy sessions that include the kids and trained therapists are often a major part of the therapeutic program.

You might think that group therapy is a waste of time. What benefit is your child going to get from listening to a bunch of other kids with problems? I have been amazed, however, at how honest and insightful youngsters can be about other kids' behavior. Peers can make incredibly on-target observations about each other and offer helpful recommendations.

Q. Who staffs the unit?
A. Generally, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, social workers, and mental health assistants. A psychiatrist—full- or part-time—is always part of the treatment team. During your child's stay, it is the hospital's psychiatrist, rather than his private psychiatrist, who will determine what medication will be given. Although some parents find this worrisome, assessment by the hospital's psychiatrist actually allows for a second opinion. It also allows for adjusting the child's treatment with closer observation than would be possible if the child was an outpatient. Given the amount of information your private psychiatrist has about your youngster's past treatment, however, an exchange of information between the two physicians can benefit your child.

In the hospital, your child will have regular contact with a psychiatrist and the therapist(s) assigned to him, and the nursing staff will administer his medications. The psychiatrist and staff will review your child's progress and follow a treatment plan that is created specifically for him. The staff will monitor him carefully for any side effects or other health problems.

Q. Can I stay in the hospital with my child?
A. No. One of the significant advantages of a child being in the hospital and away from his normal environment (and that includes parents) is that it provides the opportunity to see how he functions on his own. This gives staff members more clues as to what issues he is struggling with and which ones may be contributing to his illness.

Q. But if my child was having his appendix out, I could stay with him—why isn't that possible here?
A. This situation is different. The appendix will not react differently if the parent is around. Many times, these children are completely dependent on their families and extremely fearful of separation. Sending kids the message that they can survive in the hospital, that they possess strength on their own and are not fragile, is important. Children and their parents may also fall into dysfunctional patterns that interfere with a professional's learning about the child's strengths, weaknesses, and coping skills. Also, children are better able to become involved with the treatment program if parents are around only during visiting hours.

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