101 Entertainment Ideas for Children in Hospital

I have been encouraged by friends to keep track of my ideas for entertaining my child, Hayden, when in he is in hospital for his prolonged stays.  So finally I have taken the plunge and thought that I would post a little introduction to it all here.

I know that Hayden is a little unique in comparison to the rest of the world.  Well more unique than most that is.  He is 7 years old, congnatively a 2 well maybe a 3 year old, and more physically able than Neurologists originally predicted after his signifant medical event in 2006.  In fact he is as strong as any 7 year old.  Along with the many medical things going on in his life he has acquired ADHD at the extreme end and uses medication to manage this and save our sanity. 

Behaviourly this is where life gets tricky.  When Hayden is hospitalised it is usually because has a gastro bug or a serve cold with both causing vomiting.  The behaviour drug adds nausia and that means when in hospital no behaviour drugs.  It is terrible.  Nothing worse than a hyperactive ADHD child who is feeling grumpy, hooked up to IV machine for more than 24 hours.  Then to make it worse the Doctors dont like to keep him hospital too long in case he catches something more to prolong his stay.  Often he is kept in to ensure that his electrolyte levels are normal then he is sure bouncing seeing like there is nothing wrong.

So if this sound like something that could be useful to you, you might want to drop back and see what it is that I have found works for me.  I have had years of practise to refine my ideas and would love to add to my ideas too.

Image of Starhip Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.

This image is courtesy of wikimedia here are the credits.