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[Emotional reactions of children to hospitalization]
1Westf. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie in der Haard, Marl-Sinsen.
Insights
Hospital stays are often perceived as suffering, but research shows preoperative fear in children is overestimated. Postoperative behavioral issues affect two-thirds of young children, though positive outcomes are also possible.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Hospitalization and surgery are significant stressors for children.
- Existing literature often oversimplifies or misrepresents children's emotional responses to hospital stays.
Purpose:
- To critically examine the psychological impact of hospitalization and surgery on children.
- To review empirical data on children's emotions and reactions, correcting outdated textbook information.
Summary:
- Preoperative anxiety in children is frequently overestimated.
- Approximately two-thirds of children under 3.5 years experience postoperative behavioral anomalies or mood disturbances.
- Positive psychological outcomes following surgery are also documented.
- Outpatient surgery offers no clear advantage over short-term inpatient procedures for children.
Impact:
- Provides an updated, evidence-based understanding of pediatric psychological responses to hospitalization.
- Highlights the need for revised clinical guidelines and educational materials for healthcare professionals.
- Informs parental expectations and support strategies during a child's hospital stay.
Abstract:
Two central problems concerning the emotions and reactions of children to a stay in a hospital combined with an operation are dealt with from a psychological point of view: 1. Why is a stay in a hospital still being equated with suffering? and 2. What do we know empirically about the emotions and reactions of children? It is explained and discussed why even the most recent textbooks have not been able to take into account the development or research since 1980 and are therefore rendering a distorted image. The present state of the art is described. The following findings are presented amongst others: The preoperative fear or anxiety of children has been overestimated; postoperative behavioural anomalies and disturbances of the feeling tone have been observed in about two-thirds of the children younger than approximately 3 1/2 years of age. However, independent of the negative mental sequels, positive ones are also possible. Outpatient surgery does not offer any advantages to the child compared to operations with short-term inpatient treatment (however, disadvantages have not been seen, either).