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Promoting the young child's development in the intensive care unit
1Medical College of Georgia, School of Nursing, Augusta, GA 30912.
Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
|May 1, 1989
Summary
Hospitalization stresses young children, impacting development. Nurses can support critically ill infants and toddlers by understanding normal growth patterns and using internal strengths, external supports, and environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Child Development
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Hospitalization poses significant emotional challenges for young children, more so than for adults.
- Admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) is a particularly stressful event for children, potentially hindering optimal development.
- Understanding child development is crucial for effective nursing care during hospitalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To equip ICU nurses with knowledge of normal infant and toddler growth and developmental patterns.
- To present strategies for nurses to promote critically ill children's growth and development.
- To outline methods for nurses to support children in coping with hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Review of normal growth and developmental patterns in infants and toddlers.
- Identification of internal child strengths.
- Discussion of external support systems and environmental modifications for nursing interventions.
Main Results:
- Nurses can utilize knowledge of developmental stages to tailor care.
- Leveraging a child's internal strengths and external supports can mitigate hospitalization stress.
- Environmental manipulation by nurses can foster a more supportive ICU setting.
Conclusions:
- Nurses play a vital role in supporting the growth and development of critically ill children in the ICU.
- Proactive nursing interventions focusing on developmental needs can improve a child's coping mechanisms during acute illness.
- This article focuses on children experiencing acute crises requiring intensive monitoring.