9 Ways to Support a Family When Their Child Is Hospitalized

Right now with Flu, RSV, and Omicron all raging, I’ve noticed more and more sweet kiddos in my feed hospitalized with illness.

If you’ve never had a child hospitalized, it can feel impossible to know how to help. So here are 9 very practical things you can do to help the family through this hard season.

1. Send a gift card or Venmo the caregiver who is in the hospital so they can get non-hospital food or coffee.

2. Offer to help with childcare and rides for the siblings who are at home.

3. Be specific about how you can help. Don’t just say, “Let me know if you need anything.”

4. Arrange a time to drop off a meal for those at home or, even better, organize a meal calendar so the family doesn’t have to manage everyone who offers to help.

5. Hire a cleaning service or send a gift card for one so the family has one less thing to worry about.

6. Offer to help with practical needs like mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, grocery shopping, shoveling the driveway, etc.

7. Create a care package for the parent who is at the hospital. If you can, find out exactly what they need (toiletries, clothes, snacks, etc.).

8. Check in or send an encouraging message with the phrase, “no need to respond.” They might not have the emotional energy to respond to messages.

9. Send things to brighten up the hospital room- cards, flowers, kids’ art, etc.

What was most helpful to you when your child was hospitalized? If you have any more ideas, add them in the comments!