Locations:
Search IconSearch
October 8, 2025/Nursing/Podcast

Helping Children Cope With a Loved One's Hospitalization (Podcast)

Strategies for building connections and easing the fears of young family members

When a loved one is hospitalized, children often find themselves in the middle of a crisis they don’t fully understand. In the midst of an illness, it's easy for caregivers to overlook the youngest members of the family, who may be struggling silently on the sidelines. With the right approach, however, healthcare teams can help protect a child’s emotional well-being during one of the most vulnerable moments of their life.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

"Kids feel the full range of emotions when someone they love is in the hospital— anger, fear, confusion, and even joy and playfulness — and they often bounce between them quickly," explains Molly Gleydura, a Certified Child Life Specialist at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus. "Children cope best when they’re given honest, concrete explanations that match their developmental level, and when they’re included in small, meaningful ways — like helping a parent hold a water cup or simply being allowed to ask questions.”

In this special episode of the Nurse Essentials podcast, Gleydura shares advice on how to connect with children, ease their fears and help them understand what’s happening to their loved ones. They discuss:

  • Creating a safe space in which children feel comfortable asking questions and voicing their concerns
  • Using age-appropriate language to alleviate fears and avoid miscommunication
  • When and how to include a child in their loved one's medical care
  • Using multidisciplinary caregivers, including child life specialists, to meet the needs of young family members
  • Helping families understand and anticipate the needs of their children during a medical crisis

Click the podcast player above to listen to the episode now, or read on for a short, edited excerpt. Check out more Nurse Essentials episodes at my.clevelandclinic.org/podcasts/nurse-essentials or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podcast excerpt

Podcast host Carol Pehotsky, DNP, RN, NEA-BC: What are some common misconceptions children might have about illness and hospitalization?

Advertisement

Gleydura: Kids don't have as advanced an understanding of the medical environment as adults do, so when adults are using nonspecific terminology to describe an illness – like [describing someone] as “sick” – kids often fear that they're going to catch that sickness. The child is not going to catch cancer from their dad, but it's still a worry in their head.

[In some cases] kids think that the sickness they’re seeing is what all their future sicknesses will look like. So, the next time they get a cold, they might worry…they’ll have to go to the hospital. Am I going to lose my hair because of the medicine they're giving me?

Pehotsky: Why is it important for nurses and other adults to be mindful of what they say when children are in the room?

Gleydura: This is such an important point. Research shows that it's best for children to receive news, updates and explanations of what's happening with a loved one from a trusted, known adult in a safe space. So, if [a child] overhears something from a nurse rather than from Mom or Grandma, they [might think] of it as taboo. This isn't for something for me to talk about. This isn't something for me to know. It can cause shame or prompt kids to suppress feelings and questions because they're not sure if they're allowed to talk about them.

Additionally, it's important to be mindful of what's being said because not everything is appropriate to be discussed around children. Different families make those decisions [by] drawing their lines in different places. Families might not feel like the child is old enough or ready to know about some [aspects of an illness]. Planning discussions, for example, can often cause worries in kids that aren't necessary at that time.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Related Articles

Pam Combs and Taylor Cody
September 10, 2025/Nursing/Podcast
The Howley ASPIRE Program: Creating a Pipeline for the Next Generation of Nurses (Podcast)

The program provides an inside look and hands-on experience for high school students interested in nursing

Nurse Nichole Brown
August 13, 2025/Nursing/Podcast
Simulation Education in Nursing (Podcast)

High-tech simulation techniques help nurses perfect their skills and improve clinical processes

Portrait of nurse David Lucas
April 23, 2025/Nursing/Podcast
Specialty Spotlight: Caring for Patients in a Neurological ICU (Podcast)

What it’s like working in neurology critical care and what to consider before entering the specialty

Portrait of Matt Slife
March 12, 2025/Nursing/Podcast
Maintaining a Healthy Bottom Line: How Nurses Can Impact Healthcare Finances (Podcast)

Understanding the implications of finances on nursing practice and how caregivers can help keep costs in check

Portrait of nurse Scott Hantz
January 15, 2025/Nursing/Podcast
Emergency Management: Being Prepared During a Crisis (Podcast)

Educating and training nurses is key to handling patient surges during emergencies

Portraits of nurses Jennifer Katlen and Julie Simon
December 18, 2024/Nursing/Podcast
Geriatric Nursing: Caring for Older Adults (Podcast)

Building a trusting environment is key to providing age-sensitive care

Rehab nursing London
October 1, 2025/Nursing/Clinical Nursing
Rehabilitation Nursing: Leading Patients Down the Recovery Road

Strong bonds and momentous milestones fuel life-changing work

Nurse Danielle Crow
September 24, 2025/Nursing/Clinical Nursing
Revolutionizing Care: The Hospital at Home Model (Podcast)

Using technology to improve patient comfort and outcomes while reducing healthcare burdens

Ad