Determination of behavioral reactions of a child of 3-6 ages group to be hospitalized due to an acute illness

Abstract

The study is executed with mothers of children aged 3-6 (n=170) whose children were hospitalized for the first time between the dates of 15.07.2003 and 15.06.2006, who were reachable by phone and accepted to participate in the study aiming determination of behavioral reactions of a child of 3-6 ages group to be hospitalized due to an acute illness.

In this study, for data gathering "Personal Information Form" including 15 questions and "Inquiry Form of Behavior Changes of  3-6 Ages Group Children After Being Hospitalized" with 30 questions were used. Date gathering forms were carried out as pre-test by using face-to-face interview method with mothers of 3-6 aged children who were hospitalized for the first time and were in first 12 hours of hospitalization. "Inquiry Form of Behavior Changes of 3-6 Ages Group Children After Being Hospitalized" was re-carried out with mothers by phone 1 month after children being discharged from hospital.

In analyzing of datas statistical programme of SPSS 13.0 for Windows was used. In statistical evaluation;  number-percent dispersion, Wilcoxon Sing Rank test and Paired Sample-t test were used.

According to the results obtained from the study, 57.6% of children are male with age average of 4,46±1,18 and 52.3% of them were hospitalized due to Gastroentestinal System Illnesses. A significant difference was determined between average points of behavior changes of 3-6 ages group children hospitalized due to an acute illness before hospitalized (10,735±4,882) and after being discharged from hospital (15,0476±4,306). In the study, it is observed that there are some behavioral changes in children after being hospitalized such as being cranky before going to bed and during eating, disquiet, bed-wetting, seperation anxiety, excessive attachment to a parent, to need help even for the things he/she could accomplish, to have fear from new environments, people or objects, bad temper attacks, fear of doctor/nurse and hospital, fear from darkness, having bad dreams and awakening with crying, disorder in defecating, insomnia, anorexia, aggressive reactions to the parent, increase in playing with sexual organ, telling stories of  hospital environment while playing with toys.

As a conclusion, it is advised healthy children to be prepared with education programmes to the possibility of being hospitalized in the future. In preparation, child's age, level of development and past experiences are crucial.