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For families

Visiting

 
You are encouraged to be with your child as often as possible. You can also invite other family members to visit your child - we ask that you think carefully about whom you invite to visit. Very sick children need rest and calm. The unit is a busy area and this means we need to be aware of the needs of all the children. Children who visit require supervision by an adult.
 
These are the guidelines for people coming into the Intensive Care Unit:

  • Crises happen often in the unit, although not necessarily to your child. Please call from the telephone outside the door before you come in.
  • Let staff know if this is your first time in the unit. Someone will come out and help you get acquainted with the new surroundings.
  • Small children may find the unit a scary place. We’d like to reassure them about what they will see by using a special handbook and pictures. Please arrange for their visit with your child’s nurse.
  • Staff needs to be able to respond to a child who suddenly needs urgent care - we ask you to limit visitors to two at a time.
  • Infections spread quickly and are more dangerous among children who are already very sick. For the protection of all the children in the Unit, anyone who is or might be sick, or has been in contact with anyone who may be infectious, should stay away. We are particularly worried about chickenpox. This is a very dangerous infection for children who are already very sick.
  • Children who visit are more likely to have colds that they may give to the patients in the Intensive Care Unit and are more vulnerable to the infectious diseases which may be present in patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

Family resources

 
We have lockers and parent pagers available for families. Please contact the Intensive Care Unit Clerk if you are interested. Please note that we have a limited number of both. Parents with unstable children are given priority for the pagers.
 
There is a microwave for family use in the Special Needs Unit. There is also an ice / water machine and a refrigerator.
 
If you would like more information about the Intensive Care Unit, please see the Intensive Care Unit Family Handbook (PDF)
 
To find out more about the resources available for families at Children's, please ask for a copy of Family Issues. Copies are available in the family lounge outside Intensive Care Unit or in the Family Resource Library on the 2nd floor of the Ambulatory Care Building.
 
A special handbook with pictures is available for siblings and others who would like to prepare themselves before coming into the Intensive Care Unit. Please ask if you would like to use this.

The Family Resource Library is available for you on the 2nd floor of the Ambulatory Care Building. It has books, videos and other materials on many topics about children, illness and health. Many of the resources can be accessed from the library.