He wonders and worries about what is going to happen, if it will hurt, and if you will stay with him. While hospitalized, your child's daily home routines of eating, sleeping, and playing are disrupted. This makes a stay in the hospital very frightening. Children under five are most concerned with being separated from their parents and being abandoned in a strange environment. School age children worry about their bodies not working right and not being like the other kids.
Some children think that going to the hospital is a punishment for doing something bad.
They may not understand why what is wrong can't be fixed at home or the doctor's office. Teenagers have different concerns, such as lack of privacy, loss of control, and fear of looking different or disfigured. Talk to your child and family about going to the hospital. For a young child, it's best to talk about the hospital stay only a few days ahead of time. Older children may need more time to think about issues.