Going Home

When will your child be able to go home?  The length of hospital stay after transplant surgery varies greatly, but the average is two to three weeks.

After your child is home, you can expect frequent follow-up visits:

• Once or twice a week for blood-drawing, vital signs and weight checks.
• Every two to three weeks for echocardiogram, and ECG.

Again, depending upon your child’s progress and needs, scheduling of these follow-up appointments and tests will vary.

Approximately three to four weeks after going home, your child will be ready to return to school or day care.  We strongly encourage physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling or walking, and social interaction with other children.

Finally, we suggest you obtain a Medic-Alert bracelet for your child to identify him as a transplant patient.

For Your Child

Don’t be surprised if your child exhibits some changes in behavior the first few weeks at home.  This is common for children who have had surgery.  Restless sleep, irritability, moodiness, changes in eating habits and anxiety about being separated from you – especially in young children – are normal at first.  Also, you may be tired from the hospital experience, so this can be a very stressful time for the whole family.

During this transitional period, listen carefully to your child’s expressions of his thoughts or feeling.  Reassure him that what he’s feeling is normal.  Be careful, however, not to overly “coddle” your child.  The fastest way for your child to feel “normal” again is to know you expect the same behavior as always.