The following tips from the Family Advisory Board are suggestions for those who want to support a family whose child is hospitalized.

• Offer to run errands: get groceries to keep the perishables in date; run siblings to daycare, school or extra curricular activities; take care of pets; or pick up dry cleaning.
• Provide child care for sibling at home, or other types of sibling support such as "care packages" or special outings.
• Prepare meals for freezer or for quick fixes for the family at home.
• Help with household chores such as watering plants, mowing the lawn, cleaning houses, walking dogs, collecting mail and doing laundry.
• Keep info-phone-chain, if requested. Help keep the patient's extended family and friends up to date on the patient's condition so the hospitalized family isn't overwhelmed by concerned callers.
• Offer a shoulder and ear, but not advice unless requested.
• Help with seasonal activities such as holiday shopping, birthday shopping, present wrapping and card sending.
• Give parents/caretakers a "time-out." Offer to sit with patient so parents can step out and have lunch, time alone or time to clear their minds.

Helpful gift suggestions:
Soft pillow or blanket, slippers, book, magazine, healthy snack, gum, mints, toothbrush, activity books for caretaker, patient or sibling; journal and organizer for hospital papers.