Q&A

When a child is hospitalised for a long-term illness, it can result in changes to the daily life of siblings, such as the need to adjust to caregivers, different daily routines, and loss of playmates. Even if siblings appear to be living their lives as usual, they may have many questions and concerns about these changes, which they may struggle to express verbally, but these emotions of confusion and worry will remain in their hearts and need to be addressed.

Child Life Specialists encourage parents to choose age-appropriate methods, such as using stories, videos, and other forms to help explain the child's illness and guide siblings to express their thoughts or draw their feelings.

Further reading: The Role of Siblings

*If necessary, parents can contact Child Life Specialists to request for suitable books such as "My Brother/Sister's Diary"

Playing mobile games is a form of entertainment. Many parents share concerns about their children being addicted to mobile games and losing interest in other games. Parents can try the following ways to help their children:

1. Understand their child's need for playing mobile games and what aspects of it they find attractive;

2. Communicate with their child and work together to create a schedule that balances their life;

3. Spend time with their child to discover new interests and find games that can provide the same sense of satisfaction.

We understand that parents may have tried to prepare their child in advance for medical procedures they will face, but the child may still get very nervous. Parents can use play to understand if their child is affected by unpleasant past medical experiences or misunderstood medical knowledge.

1. Previous experiences
The child may have encountered unpleasant experiences (such as being in an unfamiliar environment, separated from parents, or interacting with medical staff) during previous injections, leading them to be very scared every time they hear about injections, even with strong reactions such as screaming.

2. Misunderstood medical knowledge
The child may not have fully understood medical knowledge, leading to misunderstandings (such as believing that the needle remains in the hand after the injection, causing continued pain and fear). Parents can use real medical equipment and medical toys available at home to play medical games with their children, listen to their feelings and thoughts with an open attitude, and use open-ended questions to help the child ask questions and clarify their understanding.