Family and mother participation in hospitalized children: Past-time analysis and future perspective

Abstract

Background: Although it is believed that the best kid pediatrician is his own mother, she is excluded in his attention when hospitalized. Since 1925, changes allow the mother accompany her hospitalized child, initially in Europe and soon after in other countries. Beneficial effects in mothers participation include: manteinance of affective and nutritional status, decrease in nosocomial infections, improvement of duel reaction and minor cost hospitalization. Few difficulties appear related to disturbances of family dynamics, maternal anxiety and alterations in communication. 

Objective: To review the development of family participation in infant hospitalization worldwide, with emphasis in our hospital. Identify those aspects that strengthen and those that interfere with this modality of attention. 

Experience: In the Pediatrics Service from Complejo Hospitalario San Borja-Arriarán at Santiago of Chile, a change in attention modality began in 1989, integrating the mother to the activities of the health team in charge of the attention of her hospitalized son, with clear benefits for the child, its family and the hospital care, in terms of life-quality and less cost in medical attention. 

Conclusions: For making suitable this modality of hospitalization, the mother who works requires support when its economic entrance is a significant contribution to the family group, psychological assistance to the family in prolonged hospitalizations, structural modifications when building future hospitals and adjustment to the model of attention by the health team, in order to integrate the mother in a more permanent way.