Learning to wait when a child is sick

Kathryn Elison, MSW Clinical Social Worker, explains how waiting can be one of the most difficult things when your child is hospitalized and shares advice on how to learn how to do so
Hospitalized Child Advice | Learning To Wait
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Learning to wait when a child is sick

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One of the hardest tasks that parents have to face when they have a hospitalized child is learning to wait. Just as you had to wait for your daughter to take her first steps or your son to say his first words, you're going to be waiting for a diagnosis, you're going to be waiting for a treatment plan and you're going to be waiting for an outcome. What is tied in to the complexity of learning to wait, is understanding what you can and cannot control. So while you're waiting, I encourage you to get information. Seek support. Support from your family, from your friends, but also from the medical team. By getting the information you need and getting the support you need, you have the ability to wait and then hopefully you get to go home with your child like none of this ever happened.

Kathryn Elison, MSW Clinical Social Worker, explains how waiting can be one of the most difficult things when your child is hospitalized and shares advice on how to learn how to do so

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Kathryn Elison, MSW

Clinical Social Worker, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Kathryn Elison is a Clinical Social Worker at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She was drawn to her profession because of her passion to provide support to families experiencing a medical crisis. Kathryn accompanies her patients and their families during one of the most stressful journeys of their lives, helping them navigate through this challenge and supporting them each step of the way. A native of North Carolina, Kathryn moved to Los Angeles, CA after receiving a Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her free time, Kathryn enjoys exploring her new home state of California with her husband Jed and her dog Sallie.

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Transcription: 
One of the hardest tasks that parents have to face when they have a hospitalized child is learning to wait. Just as you had to wait for your daughter to take her first steps or your son to say his first words, you're going to be waiting for a diagnosis, you're going to be waiting for a treatment plan and you're going to be waiting for an outcome. What is tied in to the complexity of learning to wait, is understanding what you can and cannot control. So while you're waiting, I encourage you to get information. Seek support. Support from your family, from your friends, but also from the medical team. By getting the information you need and getting the support you need, you have the ability to wait and then hopefully you get to go home with your child like none of this ever happened.