Our First Time in an Adult Hospital

The last time my son was in the hospital, it was a children’s hospital. But recently, after he fell out of bed and broke his leg, he was taken to an adult hospital and needed surgery. I’m forever grateful to the doctors and nurses caring for him through it all.

Navigating an adult hospital with my son, who is an adult with special needs, was different. In the children’s hospital, the doctors and nurses always asked me what I thought was best for him. They’d work with me to make sure he felt OK, and we’d all agree on how to take care of him. 

Being treated at a new adult hospital was an adjustment. My son’s care team did a great job of keeping him safe and helping him heal, but they were still learning the small things that could make him uncomfortable. They moved him, helped him eat and made him comfortable like most other patients, but sometimes it made him feel worse. 

For example, an alarm would go off whenever I’d help my son move. It was meant to make sure he didn’t get hurt by moving himself, but the alarm stressed him out.

Other times, the staff came into his room at night to wake him up and change his position. This is an important part of a hospital stay to make sure patients don’t get bed sores. It was all so new: new faces, a new room and a new routine. This made my son uncomfortable, especially after surgery. 

It was a challenge. The hospital staff did a great job of keeping him safe. They helped him heal from his leg injury. As a parent, I had to learn how to speak up for my son in a new setting. In almost every medical setting, the staff wants to help, but sometimes you must take the time to advocate for your child. When families are part of the care team, it can make the patient feel more comfortable. 

To learn more about how to navigate your child’s health care and be their advocate, visit How to Talk to Your Doctor.