Parents and Carers

Our page for parents and carers contains links to a range of websites and documents that might be useful as a resource and guide regarding children and young people's health.

AWCH Fact Sheets

About Children in Hospital - Questions to Ask

How can you prepare your child for a hospital visit?

Medical Play

What are the effects of hospitalisation on a child?

Click the cart button below to order a laminated set of the above fact sheets.

For more excellent resources to help reduce the stress of hospitalisation on your child have a browse thorough our online shopping page

Fact Sheets - Downloads

Children’s painful procedures and operations: How can parents help?

INJECTIONS Tips to help your child cope

Tooth Development in Babies and Toddlers

Oral Hygiene for Babies and Toddlers

Healthy Eating Equals Healthy Teeth

Other Resources for Parents & Carers

Virtual tour of a trip to the operating theatres at the Sydney Children's Hospital
www.sch.edu.au
Sydney Children's Hospital designed this virtual tour, describing admission to hospital for a surgical operation, in a manner that is informative, comforting and child friendly.

Going to hospital
www.raisingchildren.net.au
By Professor Frank Oberklaid and Dr Leah Kaminsky, excerpt from 'Your Child's Health'

Your child in hospital
www.chw.edu.au
The Children's Hospital at Westmead is committed to providing the best possible care for children. 'Your Child in Hospital' handbook provides essential information for parents and families attending the Hospital.

Getting a blood test
www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_blood_test.html
Getting blood drawn for lab work can be a little scary for children. Show your child what to expect before your trip to the doctor's office or hospital.

Getting an EEG test
www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_eeg_test.html
The process of attaching electrodes on the head for an EEG test can be scary for children. Show your child what to expect before your trip to the EEG clinic or hospital.

The Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tool – Family Tool (pdf)
www.familyvoices.org/pub/index.php?topic=fcc
Families, both individually and within family support and advocacy organizations, can use this tool to increase awareness and knowledge of the specifics of family-centered care to more effectively:

• Assess the quality of the care that they and their children receive;
• Share knowledge about family-centered care with other families, with providers, with health plans and with policy makers to create a shared vision for improving the health care system;
• Advocate for changes within health care settings, health plans and public agencies to more effectively support families and their children in the process of receiving care.
  

How to get kids to take . . . Pills!
www.acor.org/ped-onc/treatment/Pills/pills.html
The topic of kids and pills comes up frequently in the online discussion groups. There seem to be as many ways to get kids to take pills as there are kids! Here are a few suggestions from seasoned parents, parents of kids with cancer.

The Global Eye (Winter 2009 Newsletter)
www.daisyseyecancerfund.org/news/newsletter/winter2009/childlife.html
Certified Child Life Specialist, Morgan Livingstone, offers simple practical advice to help you and your child prepare for Examination Under Anaesthesia.

A guide to dealing with bullying: for parents of disabled children
www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/bullying.pdf
This guide is for parents of disabled children. It contains information about spotting the signs of bullying, the action you can take, your child’s rights and stories and tips from other parents. It will give you ideas about what might work, things you could try and help you feel that you are not alone.

StEPS - Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening
www.health.nsw.gov.au/resources/initiatives/steps/steps-flyer_pdf.asp
The StEPS program is an initiative of NSW Health and offers all 4 year old children free vision screening.

Life Journey Through Autism: A Parent’s Guide to Research
www.researchautism.org/resources/parents guide.pdf
Life Journey Through Autism: A Parent’s Guide to Research has been written to serve as a resource for parents of children recently diagnosed with autism.

Kids health info for parents
http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/index.cfm?doc_id=3665
Kids Health Info (KHI) is the Royal Children's Hospital website for medical information written for parents (and later for children too). Hopefully, fact sheets help you to better understand or care for your child with a health problem.

About CP : Early School Years
www.thespasticcentre.org.au/about_cp/early_school_years.htm
The Early School Years Fact Pack is designed to assist teachers, teacher's aides, students and parents to learn more about what may be helpful for children with cerebral palsy in the early years.

Get Set 4 Life – habits for healthy kids
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/ Content/
Health_Kids_Check_GetSet4Life%20Guide
Developed as an interactive guide that provides practical information to assist parents/carers to interact with their child in developing healthy habits.

ThinkUKnow
www.thinkuknow.org.au/site/index.aspnow
ThinkUKnow is an Internet safety program delivering interactive training to parents, carers and teachers through primary and secondary schools across Australia using a network of accredited trainers.

Wonders and Worries
www.wondersandworries.org
Wonders & Worries counsels children in understanding the situation and handling these potential negative effects. We give parents the resources and support to help their family work through such a crisis.

AboutOurKids
www.aboutourkids.org/families
AboutOurKids.org provides information about psychiatric disorders, growth and development, learning and social issues as well as results on the latest research.

Children's Mental Health Ontario
www.kidsmentalhealth.ca/parents/resources_parents.php
Contains family-friendly resources that offer in-depth information on general and specific topics in mental health.

Child Life Council - Resources for Caregivers
http://www.childlife.org/Resource%20Library/ResourcesforCaregivers.cfm
Provides resources available to help parents and caregivers prepare for hospital visits.

Jerry Cahill's Cystic Fibrosis Podcast
http://cfpodcast.libsyn.com
Jerry Cahill's Cystic Fibrosis Podcast is presented by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. A non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for CF and improving the quality of life of those affected by cystic fibrosis.