Coping with Anxiety

Being sick and in the hospital is stressful for children because they are faced with different routines, unfamiliar surroundings, strange faces, limited family contact, as well as different food, smells and sounds.

It is not unusual for a young child to react to being in the hospital by crying, refusing to eat, thumb sucking, bed-wetting, being withdrawn and rejecting the adults around them. They may also exhibit signs of restlessness, exhaustion and depression. It is important to discuss these symptoms with your child's doctor.

Because play is a familiar activity for most children, it is used in the hospital to create a safe atmosphere and provide the tools (toys and activities) to help young children:

• adjust to a strange environment
• meet and get to know other children
• express their feelings and concerns
• cope with illness, surgery, hospitalization and treatments
• make choices and retain a sense of control over what is happening to them
• relax
• work through their problems

Talk to your transplant team about programs or therapists that can help minimize emotional strain.

Reference and Publication Information

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The content on this page was originally created on September 15, 2004 by the United Network for Organ Sharing and last modified on October 18, 2004.

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