Children
- Scared about being separated from their family
- Distressed from unfamiliar surroundings
- Don’t understand the pain
- Scared of the unknown
- Can be upset about the changes to their body and not being like other kids
- Not understand how something that hurts can actually help them
- Be afraid of being left in hospital
- Possible regression – they may begin to suck thumb, wet bed, want bottles and old comforts again
- Disinterest in eating
- Become more sensitive than usual
- Can become withdrawn, hypersensitive or act out
- Refuse medication – even if they normally wouldn’t
Young People
- Loss of independence and privacy
- Missing family and friends
- Acting out or challenging authority
- Disruption to normal sleep and routines
- Change of eating habits
- More emotional than normal
- Upset with time away from school, sports and activities
- Stuck in an unfamiliar environment with people they don’t know
- Feeling homesick
Families
- Worry
- Fear
- Distress
- Apprehension
- Helplessness
- Lonely or isolated
- Anger
- Unfamiliar surroundings
- Caught between not enough information and information overload
- Loss of privacy
- Stress of trying to manage life at home as well as life at the hospital
