My 14-year-old, who has white coat anxiety and sensory issues that include sensitivity to some smells and sounds, will have to undergo a difficult surgery and at least five days in the hospital. I have some similar sensory issues and found it difficult to stay in the hospital after I had my children. I could not sleep well because medical personnel would barge into the room unexpectedly and I felt stress the entire time I was there. I only had to stay one night when my son was born.

Sensory issues are harder for us to deal with when we are in pain. Five days in the hospital will be hard. Any suggestions on how we can prepare for this?

Noise-cancelling headphones and an MP3 player-- I use that technique to "filter" unpleasant auditory sensory input, to which I am also very sensitive.

A reed-diffuser in his room might help mask smells that he finds distressing.

Does your DS find guided-imagery relaxation/meditative methods effective? What about when used in conjunction with a comfort-texture/smell?


I might try that route. It's also a known method for managing pain, so it could be used as a means of managing multiple challenges simultaneously.

My sensory dd would probably want to try the headphones and having access to her music. Can you stay in the room with him at night or do you have to leave? Can you bring in comfort food for him or does he have to stay on the hospital diet?

The one thing I'd insist on if it's at all possible is *no* interruptions at night from hospital staff. When my ds was born, people came in to our room in the middle of the night to do things that could absolutely have waited until daylight and waking hours and it annoyed the heck out of me. I was in the hospital for several days after he was born, and I finally had it figured out by the time I left - the reason they were sending nurses in to check on things in the middle of the night was simply because those nurses didn't have much to do and it was the hospital's way of spreading work around among nurses evenly.

I don't know if it would help, but you could ask for your ds to have a chance to visit the hospital and a similar room to where he will be staying before he is admitted - that might give him a chance to let you know what he thinks might be an issue for him and you could have a chance to brainstorm together ways to deal with it.

Do you think he'll feel like having company?

That's all I can think of at the moment - I will be thinking of your ds - hospital stays are stressful for anyone, and I can only imagine how much more stressful sensory issues could make them.

Best wishes,

polarbear

I had to stay in the hospital for a week when I was his age. One thing that helped was lots of take out. I didn't even like the food trays brought to my room because they made my room stink.
So I'd get an idea about what is nearby and see if he likes any of it.

I sent you a PM too.

My oldest has had numerous multi-day hospital stays and I have stayed with him overnight every single night he was hospitalized as well as the parts of the days that I didn't have to work from the office. I know what you mean about the constant interruptions from doctors, nurses, and other staff. Learn as much as you can about the IV and other equipments to which he is connected so that you can operate it as necessary (i.e., reconnect a probe, turn off an alarm), which will cut down on the number of interruptions. It may be tricky with insurance, but if you can try to mkae sure that your DS doesn't have to share his room. Bring him his electronics (laptop, MP3, Kindle, etc.), any old stuffed toys and his own comfortable clothes so it feels more like home. I was surpprised but the hospital staff actually encouraged the kids to wear their own clothes because it actually makes them feel better. Bring potpourri or other scents to mask some of that unpleasant hospital odor.

This probably goes without saying, but make sure they're scents he likes! Air freshener makes me want to throw up - it smells much worse than anything I've encountered it sprayed near. It took a while, but I finally got my DH to stop using it in the bathroom. Your son may have similar sensitivities.

Thanks everyone. These are all very good suggestions.