Any experience of German childrens hospital?

[Scootergrrrl]

We have a two day stay in the Kinderlinik coming up for a minorish operation with a general anaesthetic for DS who's two. Anything we should be prepared for, or shouldn't forget to take with us? Are things different in German hospitals than UK ones? Many thanks in advance for any help!

[pupsiecola]

Can't help on the German hospital front, but my DS also had an op when he was 2. If yours is ENT related I can give you some pointers re recovery.

[Scootergrrrl]

Thank you but it's somewhat lower - testicle relate but I'm really grateful for the offer of advice.

[TheEnglishWomanInTheAttic]

I've been in a German hospital with a nearly 2 year old, 3 and a half years ago - was for observation for a possible head injury though, not an op. Still maybe a tiny bit of help if its anything like ours:

1. They will provide PJs for your son throughout your stay if you want
   
2. You will usually get a private room - no ward in the open sense
   
3. They may (seemingly oddly) require your 2 year old to sleep on a high up full size hospital bed with only low bed rail while you sleep on what looks like a toddler bed next to him (the high bed freaked my son out a bit as he was used to a toddler bed very close to the floor).
   
4. There will probably be a common room/ kitchen area with toys you can borrow and take to your son's room, but they may be old/ have missing pieces.
   

I was provided with meals, no idea if this is normal - we just have public insurance, so I assume it is...

For me the main issue was simply keeping the 2 year old quiet, happy and calm and still, and not allowing him to run once he was allowed out of the room, but that would be the same anywhere! The care was good, the German system tends towards over caution and you usually stay in longer than the UK on a like-for-like basis. Take in plenty to keep him entertained in bed, and snacks and any non water drinks you might want to give him, as no food between meals will be provided, though there will be water (still or sparkling ;) ) tea and coffee available freely.

I'm not sure if that's any help, the health care is pretty good, generally if you pack everything you would for a similar UK stay you will have more than you need, as hospitals here provide more usually...

Good luck :)

[ZZZenAgain]

hi, no I cannot think of anything really. One of you will be able to drive home and get whatever you may have forgotten, if it is really something important. I found the medical care was good, it seemed thorough and I did feel dd was in good hands in that respect but the nursing staff were not particularly kind, so try not to take it personally if you should encounter that. They seemed a bit brusque with the dc for my taste but you can get that anywhere.

Hope ds is ok.

[ZZZenAgain]

yes, I was in a private room on a little cot bed next to dd, I was fed too but she is right, you could do with some snacks as well to tide you over. Not much chance of buying nibbles there. In our communal area, there was not much at all in the way of toys/books so if you want to read to ds and have things for him to do, take all that with you. Dd was a baby so we didn't need anything like that.

Have never been in a UK children's hospital but I thought the hospital (in terms of accomodation, food, treatment) we were in was probably of a higher standard than what I would expect to get in the UK on the NHS and it was just a regular hospital. I think you will be well taken care of.

[outnumberedbymen]

I've been in 2 different children's hospital with ds1 and ds2. The care was good in both. And in both hospitals there were high up cot beds ( with rails that can easily be lowered) for ds2 ( then 14 months) and for ds3 ( 2 yrs). Both times I shared with one other child plus parent. We had foldable beds which were ok.

Food was ok ( although last time it took them 2 days to pass on the details that I am veggie!!) and they even offered ds snacks in between ( but possibly because both were in because of tummy bugs and needed to get food inside them.

What I found worst was trying to keep them entertained in that little room. We weren't allowed to use communal areas as they were infectious. They did offer to transfer ds onto a mobile drip and lent us a pushchair do that i could at least take them for little walks on the hospital grounds every now and then. a much welcomed break for me and them. Def take lots of toys, pens, coloring books etc.

In what hospital provided: pretty much everything for the child. Nappies, nappy cream, clothes if required - although we used our own. At the hospital I was recently at they didn't provide wet wipes but offered cotton wool with sunflower oil instead !? I was glad I had some wet wipes in my bag. Oh and if your ds still uses a sleeping bag at night ( mine does) you may want to take it with you. Hospitals only have sleeping bags for little babies, I found.

Good luck for the op!

Sorry for any typos, am on my phone ;)