[Children visiting intensive care units and emergency departments : Kids are welcome!]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care
• Family-centered care

Context:

• Visiting policies for children in intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments (EDs) vary widely in German-speaking countries.
• Current policies range from unrestricted access to age and time limitations for child visitors.
• Staff reactions to children's visitation requests are inconsistent, highlighting a need for standardized approaches.

Purpose:

• To present key recommendations for child visitation in pediatric and adult intensive care units (ICUs), intermediate care units, and emergency departments (EDs).
• To encourage management and staff to develop a family-centered care culture regarding child visitation.
• To address the heterogeneous visiting policies and staff attitudes in German-speaking countries.

Summary:

• The white paper outlines recommendations for child visitation in critical care and emergency settings.
• Despite limited evidence, advantages of child visits often outweigh disadvantages across hygienic, psychosocial, ethical, religious, and cultural domains.
• Decisions regarding child visitation are complex and necessitate careful, individualized consideration.

Impact:

• Promotes a more consistent and supportive approach to child visitation in healthcare settings.
• Encourages the development of family-centered care practices.
• Aims to improve the psychosocial well-being of patients and families through informed visitation policies.