Growing up in the hospital.

摘要

Physicians and hospital staff should realize that many children with chronic conditions are growing up in the hospital and that these hospital experiences can profoundly affect their cognitive, emotional, social, and sexual developmental trajectories. With this understanding, the hospital environment and clinical approach must be modified to optimize development. An important goal for these children and adolescents is to normalize hospital life as much as possible. Parents rooming in with infants and children, the creation of Child Life programs in hospitals, and universal pain assessment are examples of changes in the hospital environment that take into account developmental considerations.