If your child is recovering from a medical treatment or has a chronic condition, pediatric home health care is a great way to provide the best treatments from your home. These services allow children to receive care from trained, and licensed medical professionals in the comfort of their own environment which keeps them from prolonged hospital stays.
Children may be scared, as well as parents, so it’s important to normalize as much as possible. By keeping children in the comfort of their own home, parents can know more about their child’s care and children can continue to play and lead as normal of a life as possible. In addition to that, homes can be safer as hospitals may lead to further infections and other illnesses that children would not be exposed to at home. Below is additional information on what home health care is for pediatrics so you can make the best decision for your children.
Conditions Commonly Treated with Pediatric Home Health Care
It takes a fairly serious disease for children to be so ill they need around the clock care. Some of these severe or chronic illnesses include:
- Complications from a premature birth (prior to 38 weeks)
- Heart disease
- Pulmonary or respiratory illness
- Neurodegenerative disease
- Genetic disorders
- Developmental disorders
- Childhood cancer
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Respiratory conditions
Expectations of Pediatric Home Health Care
Before Home Care Treatment
Before children are able to receive home health care, they must get a referral from their doctor. You can take your child to a pediatrician or primary care physician who may diagnose your child with a severe disease and/or refer them to a specialist. The specialist will be a physician with additional training in a specific part of the body who will be able to provide a more in-depth analysis of your child’s diagnosis and what the next steps are. If deemed necessary, your doctor may refer you for home health care. This means that your child is stable enough to receive care outside of the hospital, but not stable enough to be treated simply as an outpatient.
Referrals are given during extended outpatient treatment or before your are discharged from the hospital, normally by the pediatrician. Home care is normally very good for both the child and the family. It’s easier for parents to work, either from home or adjust their schedules so that someone is always home, in addition to alleviating the need to find a sitter or a nanny for other children.
Different home care agencies offer different services while your child is in the hospital. Some of the services they may include are speaking with the family about the child’s condition and discharge care plan, teaching, delivery and set up of home medical equipment, and scheduling an in-home assessment to secure equipment needs and safety.
Starting Pediatric Home Care Treatment
After hospital discharge, the child begins receiving home care treatment. The physician’s medical orders will detail how often home healthcare teams need to visit, the duration of care, and additional personalization needs of the child. After each visit, home care agency shares their information with the pediatrician who can then determine further actions. Home healthcare is very much an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary effort where multiple healthcare professionals work together for the health of your child.
Care plans may adjust over time as the treatment needs change, and that is something that parents may speak with the attending doctor about in order to stay in the loop.
Types of Pediatric Home Health Care
Every home care agency has different service offerings, so check with your preferred provider. If companies, such as Diverse Health Services, specifically offer care for children, then that is probably the best to go with. They will have services that fit the needs of a child so that you and your child can receive the most appropriate care for your needs.
Pediatric Specialists
Pediatric home care is a speciality in itself and requires specialists who are used to working with pediatric populations.
Pediatric nurses perform evaluations, give medications and teach families about care. Nurses also deliver some specialty treatments like infusions. Pediatric occupational therapists help with the daily needs like breast/bottle feeding, or achievement of developmental childhood milestones. Treatments focus on developing fine motor or hand-eye coordination.
Pediatric physical therapy is a little different because it focuses on the gross motor skills, strength and balance. It is often used from children who are recovering from injury and surgery or those who have genetic disorders.
Pediatric oncology is used to treat childhood cancer and some treatments include chemotherapy, nutritional support, oxygen and palliative care. Pediatric Palliative Care manages symptoms from severe or chronic conditions with the purpose of improving the child’s quality of life. Some home care providers offer hospice care.
Pediatric Medical Equipment
Many patients receiving care need medical supplies to help with their recovery. Some providers will deliver, set up and instruct families on how to use the equipment. Common care equipment includes oxygen, walkers and wheelchairs, hospital beds, and apnea monitoring equipment. We offer help with set up of the equipment and will coordinate the delivery of your tools.
Specialized Care
There are a couple of special populations or specialized treatment techniques that may also be a part of pediatric home care. Neonatal care is included in specialized care as some babies born prematurely. need help when they leave the hospital. Pediatric home care is used in the first months of life to make sure infants grow and meet milestones. Common neonatal treatments include feeding treatment, weight monitoring and help with respiratory care.
Another specialized population are children with asthma. Asthma treatments are used to reduce flare ups as they can be very dangerous and severely impede a child’s ability to breathe. Treatment plans include environmental assessment, peak flow meters, nebulizers, and education about disease and triggers.
Home health care helps children recover faster and ensures that children can receive specialized treatment that works for them. It’s also very convenient for families and helps reduce the stress of dealing with healthcare. Please review our services to see how we can be of assistance to your family and we look forward to working with you!
Resources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/caregiving/pediatric-home-health-care-what-you-need-to-know
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