Hospital Stage

Hospital stay for a burn injury can range from several days to several months. The longer the stay, the more important it is to maintain contact with the school system and your child's peers.

One of the ways the staff can help you maintain contact with the school is through the University of Michigan Hospital School (link to website http://www.med.umich.edu/mott/cfl/programs_school.html), Arrangements can be made for children to attend classes at school or to have a teacher from the school visit your child at bedside. With your permission, the hospital teacher can contact your child's teacher and coordinate school lessons. You may be asked to bring in your child's books or material that the school wants to send.

You can help your child by reminding staff to make time for school activities in your child's schedule. At times, when children are very sick and not feeling well and are busy with medical procedures, school is not practical nor possible. However, it should be started and maintained early on in a child's hospital stay.

Participating in school work while in the hospital is a way in which you can engage your child in talking about what he is thinking and feeling about school. It is also a way to discuss returning to school and engage them in the process of planning for that return. Anticipatory planning can help to identify potential problems as well as solutions to the problems.

If your child is in the hospital for longer than a week, consider providing periodic updates to the school about your child's progress. These updates could include information about condition and recovery but they should also include information about what your child might enjoy such as cards, letters, or pictures. If you have decided to use an electronic communication method, make sure the teacher and students know the website.

Providing accurate information to your child's teacher as well as to their peers throughout the process of recovery can help them understand what your child is going through and prevent or correct rumors.

If your child has been in the hospital for a long period of time and has changed in either their ability to function or appearance you may want to speak with hospital staff (nursing, social work or the child life specialist/hospital teacher) as well as your child's teacher about ways to assist your child in dealing with the changes as well as to prepare kids at school for these changes. You can ask about setting up special presentation to assist your child in his return to school if you desire.

As your child prepares for discharge from the hospital it is important that you and your child discuss a target return to school date with the medical care team.

Remember, you are not alone in this process. Other parents have assisted their child to successfully return to school.

Listen/watch a brief video of one mother's description of helping her child.

Check out the Phoenix Society web site - ask their online support group

Read descriptions/books blurbs about what parents have found helpful