What to Expect – Pediatric Care

Our care team will provide hospital gowns and essentials. We encourage your child to bring a treasured toy, special blanket or other familiar item as a reassuring reminder of home. We suggest you label all your child’s belongings.

Many people may participate in the care of your child. Here are a few members of our pediatric team and their roles:

• Pediatrician - Your child's primary doctor will visit the room each day, and a pediatrician is present at all times to provide care around the clock. We invite you to take an active role in your child's healthcare plan.
• Pediatric specialist - This doctor has special training in a particular area of your child’s body. For example, a pediatric orthopedic doctor specializes in bones. Learn more about specialty care.
• Pediatric intensivist - This doctor takes care of kids who are critically ill or injured. Our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is staffed 24/7 by a board-certified pediatric critical care specialist (intensivist). Learn more about PICU care.
• Surgeon - These doctors perform operations and are trained in a wide range of surgical procedures.
• Anesthesiologist - This doctor helps your child safely fall into a deep sleep during an operation and stay asleep until the operation is over. Learn more about our anesthesiology services.
• Nurses - Specially trained pediatric nurses are on hand 24/7 to care for your child, measure blood pressure, check vital signs and give medication, among other duties.
• Child life specialist - This person helps explain treatments and medical terminology in a way that your child will understand. Trained in child development and counseling, these professionals put your child and you at ease, often through art, music and play.
• Therapists - These specialists will help your child move, talk and get around more easily after treatment. Learn more about pediatric rehabilitation.

Occasionally, surgery and certain procedures can cause your child pain or discomfort. We’ll work with you todevelop a pain management plan to keep your child comfortable.

In addition to traditional medication, our pediatric staff uses alternative pain management techniques, such as music, books, deep breathing and pet therapy. A local anesthetic cream may be used to numb the skin and decrease pain sensation before beginning procedures like IV placement and drawing blood samples.

Let us know how your child experiences pain and about any strategies that have helped in the past. This information is helpful as we work to make your child’s stay at the hospital as positive and comfortable as possible.

We fill our pediatric rooms with games, puzzles and movies. Sometimes a little distraction and entertainment are just what the doctor ordered. Room service, vending machines and on-site dining are available. And the coffee is always on.

Learn more about patient and visitor services.

Sometimes the best medicine for a child is having loved ones nearby. We work with parents to make sure you and your child are never unnecessarily separated. In critical care units, we maintain a secure, safe atmosphere for our patients and request visitors take turns.

Learn more about visitor services in your area.

We understand being away from home can be financially and emotionally stressful. You want your child to receive advanced care in a safe, comforting environment for your whole family. That’s why we partner with Ronald McDonald House to provide families a safe haven to reflect and relax during their child’s treatment and recovery.

Ronald McDonald House Charities^® is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families who must travel to get treatment for seriously sick or injured children. Services include meals, private bedrooms and playrooms for children. Families either stay at no cost or are asked to make a donation, depending on the House.

Find a Ronald McDonald House near you.

If your child is receiving care in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), we invite you to rest in a Ronald McDonald Family Room^® right on the PICU floor, when available. Your care team will assist you in scheduling a time that works for you.

If you have questions about insurance and paying for your child's hospital stay, or want to discuss concerns about paying for medical care, our patient accounts representatives can help. Based on your eligibility and income level, we may discount some or the entire amount of the bill, or offer payment arrangements.

Learn more about financial assistance.

We invite everyone to use our chapel and join us in daily worship services, or watch on the TV in your room. You may also seek guidance from a chaplain or priest.

Learn more about spiritual care options.