My trip to hospital for children aged 7 to 9 years
Dear Carer, This book is designed for children aged between 7 and 9 years. Our aim is to help you and your child get ready for your child s upcoming hospital stay. Coming into hospital can be stressful. If you are even slightly worried about this hospital visit, it is highly likely that your child will sense this and be anxious as well. Please read this book with your child. This book, together with the My Trip to Hospital DVD, will show you and your child what to expect here at The Royal Children s Hospital in Brisbane. But what if you think your child is too young or too old for this book? We have a range of books for different developmental levels. Please ring the hospital to organise another version to be sent to you. For now, please read this book yourself. If you know what to expect and are relaxed, your child will benefit! See you soon at the Royal Children s Hospital, Brisbane. Author: Lynnelle Frame Illustrator: Anna Godwin Editor: Angela Vernon The author gratefully acknowledges The Royal Children s Hospital Foundation and Christine Goodwin and also the many people who have proofread various drafts., In particular I wish to acknowledge: Michelle Bond and the staff of The Royal Children s Hospital School, Pippa Van Wijk and the Occupational Therapists at RCH, Mareanne Kamphius and the Speech Therapists at RCH, Surf Ward RCH, Leigh Robinson, Leanne Craigie, Melody Gates, Janet Dunn, Cathy Richards, Maggie Jacobs, Annette and Timothy Moes, Steve Ryan, Irene Roberts, Doug Brown, and Lauren Watson. The State of Queensland, Queensland Health, 2007 ISBN: 9781921021732 Printed in Brisbane, Australia.
My trip to hospital My name is:. I m years old. Draw a picture of your family and tell us their names. My doctor s name is:. My nurses names are:. 1
Royal Children s Hospital in Brisbane This is the Hospital. I m going there, so that I can get well. Then I ll come home again. I won t be there for long. What do I take to the hospital with me? My first job starts before I even go to the hospital. I ve got to decide what I need to take with me. Circle the things that you need to pack for the hospital. (Hint: you can bring everything on the page if you want to). 2
Almost ready for hospital. Just got to have a shower! The operating room is very, very clean. Before I go in there I need to have a shower or bath and wash my hair. I will use lots of soap! I can do this at home, before I go to the hospital. I can wear my own pyjamas to the operating room, as long as they are clean. I can wear my own clothes and pyjamas all the time I am at the hospital. My most important job I can t have anything to eat or drink on the morning of my operation. 3
Why am I in the hospital? Colour the picture that shows why you are in hospital. All kids are in hospital so they can get well and go home soon. How can I feel better? Here are some of the ways I can help myself feel better. 4
Admissions desk This is where everyone waits to check in to the hospital. When my family finish the paperwork one of the volunteers will take us to my ward. My ward This is where we wait until it s time for my operation. Sometimes it s a long wait here (more than 2 hours). If I remember to pack a book or game I won t get too bored. (Please remind your family to bring something for them to do as well). 5
It s not all waiting though How is my body going? I get on the scales so we can tell the doctor how big I am. Then the nurse will check my temperature. The thermometer goes in my ear and makes a beep, beep, beep noise. Having my temperature taken is no big deal. It just feels like when I put my finger in my ear. 6
Next the nurse will put a little clip on my finger. This will show how well my heart is working. The clip will make my finger glow red, but it doesn t hurt at all. If I hold very still the nurse can get the measurement quickly and take the clip off. Sometimes the nurse will need to use a different machine to check how well my heart is working. This machine has a very special balloon that goes around my arm. The machine blows air into the balloon making it really tight. The machine only works when I hold very still. 7
My operation When it is time for my operation I will give my family a big kiss and hug. Then I ll go with the nurse into the operating room. This is the operating room. There are lots of machines here, and they all make the same noise beep, beep! The room smells funny, a bit like the bathroom when it is all clean. There are doctors and nurses in the room. They all look the same because they have funny blue clothes on. It looks like they forgot to get out of their pyjamas this morning. 8
I need to be asleep during my operation. The doctor will give me some medicine to make me sleepy. Some kids have their sleepymedicine through a drip. A drip is a tiny plastic straw that gives you medicine and drink. I get to wear a special mask that looks like a fireman s mask. The sleepy air smells funny. It helps me go to sleep. The doctor keeps giving me the sleepy medicine until the operation is over and it s time for me to wake-up. 9
Wake up! My operation is over! This is the wake-up room. I will have wake-up air that feels cold on my face. I will still feel a bit sleepy. If I hurt or feel sick I ll tell the nurse. Then they can make it better. Who is waiting for me? My family has been waiting for my operation to finish. As soon as I am awake enough to go back to the ward, I will see them again. 10
Back on the ward I will go back to the ward on a bed that has wheels. Here s my family! The nurse will keep checking how well my heart is working. It s easy because I know it doesn t hurt. I just have to hold still again! I haven t had anything to eat in ages. The nurse will tell me when I can eat again. My family can bring food I like from home. If the doctor wants me to stay at the hospital overnight, it s OK. One of my special grown-ups can stay in a bed right next to mine, just like a sleep-over. 11
Now I can have some fun! Hospital can be a fun place too. There is a playroom and there are Clown Doctors. Here is the Wonder Factory. It is a big play room with lots of toys and games. It even has its own TV station. There is always someone to play with. It s open every day. If I don t feel like getting out of bed, one of the volunteers will bring the fun to me. They can bring toys, games, arts and crafts. Home I liked the playroom. I liked the X-Box. I liked to Wonder Factory. I liked the Clown Doctors. But the best thing about hospital is getting well again so I can go home! 12
What do they use this for? OXYGEN MASK This gives me more air, when I need some help breathing. It feels really cold on my face and makes a funny noise. DRIP This is a tiny plastic straw that the doctor puts in my arm. This little straw lets my body get the drink and medicine it needs. The doctor uses a needle to put it in but then takes the needle out and throws it, leaving just the plastic straw in my arm. Before the doctor puts the needle in, they put magic cream on my hand. It s magic because it stops me feeling the needle going in. IV MACHINE This is my hospital robot. It has to go everywhere I go. It lets the special drink go into my drip. My IV machine will stay with me until I m nearly better and ready to go home. 13
STETHOSCOPE This is what the doctors, nurses and physiotherapists use to listen to my heart and lungs. My heart makes a thump-thump noise. SLEEPY AIR This funny-smelling air helps me go to sleep for my operation. The sleepy-air doctor will give me a special mask. The sleepy-air comes through the mask and helps me go to sleep. The doctor will keep putting the sleepy-air though the mask until the operation is over and it s time for me to wake up. WAKE-UP AIR This is probably the first thing I will notice when I start waking up after my operation. As soon as the operation is finished, the doctor stops putting the sleepy-air through the mask and changes it to the wake-up air. It feels cold on my face. SYRINGE This is a special container that the nurses use to measure my medicine so that I get the right amount to make me better. 14
Jokes Why didn t the skeleton cross the road? He had no guts. Why didn t the skeleton go to the movies? He had nobody to go with. What do you give to birds when they are ill? A tweetment. What s in the middle of a jellyfish? A jellybutton. What do you give sick lemons? Lemonade! Why did the banana go to see a doctor? Because it wasn t peeling well. Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because he was feeling crummy. What has a head and a foot but no arms? A bed! What do you get if an axe hits your head? A splitting headache. What did one tonsil say to the other tonsil? Get dressed up, the doctor is taking us out! When they take out an appendix, it s an appendicetomy; when they remove your tonsils, it s a tonsillectomy. What is it when they remove a growth from your head? A haircut. Where do sick steamships go? To the dock (doc). What did the farmer use to cure his sick pig? Oinkment (ointment). 15
First letter game Write the beginning letter of each picture to find the answer. What does the sleepy-air smell like? 16
Where is all the fun? Pick the odd word out on each line. Write the first letter of each word in order on the lines provided. The letters will spell the answer to the question: Where is all the fun? cow pig platypus horse door window wall lamp carrot apple potato corn yellow dog cat goldfish desert sand dry rain octopus horse rabbit mouse young new old little father grandfather mum uncle 17
Noughts and crosses Each player chooses either X or O. Take turns drawing an X or O in each square. Try to line three of your symbols in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Whoever get three in a row first wins. O X O X O X O X O X X X O 18
Dot game Each player takes turns drawing a vertical or horizontal line between two dots. Whoever completes a square gets to write their initial in the box. Whoever gets the most boxes wins! 19
How do they know it s me? Pick a word from the circle to fit each clue. Then write the first letter of each word in order on the lines below. Then write the last letter of each word on the dotted lines to get the answer. 1. a plant grown for use in cooking. 2. can be used to row a boat. 3. old-fashioned name for a soft drink. 4. lunch in a park. 5. frozen water. 6. opposite of short. 7. where your foot and leg join. 8. lets you see in a dark room. 20
Secret code While I m in hospital I will always remember.. 21
22 This is where my special grown-up will sleep while I am in hospital.
How do I get to the operating room? Help the nurse find her way to the operating room with her patient. 23
I m feeling better. It s time to go home!!! Now that I am feeling better, it s time to go home! First, can you find your way through the maze from the hospital to home? 24
Autographs 25
Answers Page 16 funny Page 17 playroom Page 20 Hospital bracelet Page 21 this will help me get well = this will help me get well it will soon be over = it will soon be over Page 23 Page 24 26
Make Your Own Chatterbox Blue 2 1 Green 5 8 Yellow 4 3 Red How to Make 1. Cut out the square. Lie paper face down. 2. Fold all 4 corners to the centre along the dotted line, then turn over Fold all 4 corners to the centre. 3. Lift the number flaps & write on underside 4. Fold square in half-both directions (to form crease only) 5. Put your pointer fingers and thumbs up under the colour flaps, to make the numbers touch. How to Play 1. Let a partner choose a colour from the outside of the chatterbox. 2. Move the chatterbox one position for each letter as you spell the word. End with the numbers showing. 3. Afteryourpartnerchoosesanumber,movethe chatterbox as you count up to that number. 4. Yourpartnerthenpicksanothernumber.Read the statement under that number. 27
WHAT TO BRING For You change of clothes toiletries food for yourself For Your Child change of pyjamas casual clothes toothbrush and toothpaste favourite toy, storybook, colouring pencils or games any special dietary formula list of medications and puffers that your child is taking any relevant letters from the doctor relevant X-ray/ pathology results your child s Medicare card your child s health insurance card your child s health record book DO NOT BRING valuables electrical equipment (anything that plugs into a power point)
This book can be used with the My trip to hospital DVD to show you what happens when you come into the hospital. You will see what happens from when you first arrive, until it s time for you to go home again. Remember to take this book to The Wonder Factory to get your name entered into a monthly prize draw.