Taking care of younger patients presents a number of challenges for everyone involved: parents, doctors, nurses, in-home caregivers, and other healthcare professionals. Young patients may not fully understand what’s happening or be able to communicate what their bodies are telling them. Despite these challenges, pediatric experts know how vital caring for young individuals is. Many health conditions can be treated early, allowing these patients to grow up and live healthier lives.
Other pediatric patients may not have that chance. They may have been born with medical conditions that will leave them in need of a caregiver for their entire lives. They also need an individualized plan of care because their needs may change over time. Working with an in-home caregiver like Reliant Home Care Services ensures that you, your loved one, and your family have the help and support you need.
Let’s take a look at what pediatric care involves, the benefits of tailored care, and what Reliant can do for you.
Understanding the Unique Needs of Every Child
Pediatric care begins with understanding the care your loved one needs. Again, since children can’t always communicate their needs, it can be difficult to fully understand their needs. Young children may simply not have the vocabulary or understanding to communicate, while others may be mute or have a limited understanding of what they’re experiencing. Children may lash out in fear or pain because they don’t know what’s happening to them, adding to the challenges.
There are many factors that can contribute to a child’s health, including genetics, prenatal factors, and environmental factors. Children could be born with disabilities, be exposed to something that triggers a health condition, or be involved in an accident that leaves them with permanent physical damage. Knowing what led to your child’s condition(s) will help you and your child’s care team prepare a plan. It will also help you know what questions to ask your child’s doctors and what signs and symptoms to watch for.
The Emotional Impact on New Parents
Preparing to welcome a child into the world is an amazing feeling. You’ve created a new life, and you may already be looking forward to the many milestones you’ll get to celebrate with them. Their first steps, first word, first day of school… but then your heart stops when your doctor tells you that your child may be born with disabilities. It’s emotionally devastating, understandably so. You just want your child to have the best life possible, and it seems like they’re already facing barriers to doing so before they’re even born.
As with any challenge, the first step is to accept what’s happening. You may know before birth that your child will have some challenges. In other cases, you may find out after you’ve welcomed them into your life. Either way, you need to take a little time for yourself to sit with this knowledge and let it sink in. It’s okay to get help. The first caregiver in your child’s struggle with their disabilities may not be for them—it may be for you. Reaching out to a therapist or other mental health professional can help you approach these challenges with the right mindset.
The Role of Reliant Home Care in Pediatric Support
Reliant Home Care can assist you in finding the right in-home caregiver for your child’s unique needs. We will work closely with you and with your child’s other care providers to ensure that we provide exactly what they need. In some cases, this may be fairly light help, such as assisting them with getting up or walking with them so they don’t fall. In other cases, it may involve helping with daily tasks, including bathing and eating. We can provide care for children of all ages and for a wide range of challenges. In the event that your child needs care we can’t provide, we can help you find the appropriate caregiver and offer resources that may help.
In addition to providing regular or semi-regular in-home care, we can also provide respite care for you or for other family members. You may be able to provide the care your child needs most of the time, but everyone needs a break every now and then. We can give you a day off so you can run errands or simply take care of yourself. Respite care is a vital part of any care plan, especially for those serving as full-time caregivers.
Without taking care of yourself, you won’t have the energy or clarity of mind to provide care to your child. Making self-care a priority at times isn’t something to feel guilty about, and with our respite care providers, you won’t have to worry that your child is going without care.
Benefits of Tailored Pediatric Care
All care plans should be tailored to the patient and their needs, especially when the patient is a child. Understanding what they’re dealing with may not always be easy, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the best care. A tailored approach to their care plan will ensure that all of their needs are met and that they’re happy as well as healthy. We work closely with your child’s other care providers to ensure that we’re always working to help meet their overall care goals. Communication is key, and we will always have lines of communication open to you.
A good pediatric care plan is flexible, too. Your child’s overall health, their disabilities or conditions, and the symptoms they’re struggling with may change as they age. In some cases, these changes come on slowly. In other cases, they may seem to happen overnight. Whenever there’s a change in their health, their care plan needs to change, too. Sometimes this is a small modification to the plan, while other times it may mean stepping back, evaluating everything, and creating a new plan. Reliant will be with you every step of the way, whether it’s adapting to a minor change or a new challenge.
With a flexible, tailored plan, you can approach your child’s health with more assurance. You know what’s happening, and you have a team of professionals with you. As you become less anxious and stressed, your child will pick up on this and will also be able to feel more relaxed. Stress can be a major factor in health, and large amounts of stress can negatively affect both you and your child.
Support for Parents: Education and Resources
While tailored care for your child is important, it’s also important for you to understand what they’re dealing with. As mentioned earlier, the first step in approaching your child’s care is to understand what they’re going through. Beyond that, however, you may want to seek out additional training and resources, especially if you’re going to serve as a caregiver to your child.
There are workshops and other types of training out there for those who want to serve as a family caregiver. These workshops won’t give you the same type of training as a professional, but they will teach you how to meet many common care needs. For example, you can learn how to safely help someone stand up or how to monitor someone’s vitals. You may also work with your child’s care team to learn how to administer their medications or assist them with exercises.
Over the years, we have gathered a long list of resources that we can provide to our clients. We can help you with everything from financial resources that will help you cover the cost of care to finding the right support group for your family. We believe everyone should have all of the information they need to make informed healthcare choices, so if you ever have any questions, just ask.
Pediatric Care Should Begin as Soon as It’s Needed
When you know your child is going to need pediatric care, don’t wait to begin the process. Learning about their health challenges and finding the right type of care can take time, and you may find yourself stressed out during the process. The longer you wait, the more stress you’re going to be under.
You also need to remember that you don’t have to do any of this alone. You may have your partner, your family, and your friends there with you. You have your child’s pediatrician and specialists as well as their nurses, office staff, and others who can answer questions or help point you to resources.
You also have Reliant. We’re here to help you with everything from finding the right support groups to getting the right in-home care for your child. We will work closely with you and other family caregivers to create a custom, flexible plan that meets all of your child’s needs as well as your own. Whether you need us every day or only periodically for respite care, we’re here for you.
Want to know more about what Reliant can do for you and your child? Reach out to us with any questions you may have at 951-326-8090 or through our online contact form.