2. Lesson objectives
By the end of the lesson the learner should be
able to;
• Define the terms sickness and admission
• Describe the impact of sickness & admission
to a child and family at large
3. Definition of terms
• Sickness; disordered, weakened or of unsound
condition (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
• Admission- is where a person is put in hospital
for close monitoring and treatment secondary
to an illness/sickness
4. Introduction
• Admission to a child in a hospital may be due
to a number of illnesses some of which are life
threatening e.g. asthmatic attack yet others
may require a long hospital stay.
• Admission usually affect the child’s holistic
wellbeing as well as the
caretaker(parent/guardian) secondary to
change of environment
5. Impact of sickness and admission to
the child
• Pain; which is characterized by different
diseases
• Affects bonding
• Homesick
• Refusal to eat
• Future fears related to hospital environments
• Scared about being separated from their
family
6. • Possible regression – they may begin to suck
thumb, wet bed, want bottles and old
comforts again
• Disinterest in eating
• Refuse medication – even if they normally
wouldn’t
7. Impact of sickness and admission to
the family at large
• Worrying
• Fear of the unknown
• Feeling uneasy
• Anger
• Feeling of guilt
• Decreased work performance
• Disrupted family income
