Pediatric Home Care in Philadelphia

Posted Sep 27, 2017 by PHC | Blog

When people hear the term “Home Care” there is a natural tendency to picture nurses and aides dutifully assisting the elderly with a variety of at-home activities. While this certainly is the “go to” image of home care, it isn’t always the case.

Home care workers have a long track record of providing services to a diverse group of patients. Of the wide array of services provided, pediatric home care is often the least spoken of. From behavioral conditions to traumatic brain care, medication management to seizure precautions; there are many reasons why a child may require special care.

Not All Patients Are The Same

Personal Health Care has been providing pediatric home and school care for nearly thirty years. In that time, we have dealt with many complex medical issues that require special attention, care, as well as training.

No two patients are ever exactly alike. However, there are inherent differences when caring for a child with special needs as opposed to an elderly patient. For parents and loved ones who are considering home care as an option for their child; here are a few of those differences, as well as what you should expect from your home care provider.

Family Involvement

Simply put, children with special needs who receive home care are typically living at home with parents or extended family. They have a support structure in place and a level of attention and care during most of the day.

One of the reasons why elderly patients are often the recipient of home care is that they live alone. To that end, home care is often intended to assist in maintaining that living situation for as long as possible. This is not the case for child patients.

Depending on the specific needs of the child, they may attend school on a regular or semi-regular basis. In many cases, pediatric home care will also extend into the classroom, or in the form of providing transportation to and from school as needed.

Individualized Needs

Children who receive pediatric Home Care contend with a range of complex medical conditions. It is important that your home care provider be well-versed in these conditions and able to address the specific needs of the child.

Depending on the age and medical condition of the child, there may be additional requirements for care. This is especially true for younger patients who may have difficulty communicating their emotional or physical state or who are at an age where self-sufficiency would not be expected even under optimal health conditions.

With adult patients, there is typically a degree of self-reliance that still exists. Just as a lawyer may benefit form a client capable of assisting in their defense, a home care worker benefits from an engaged adult patient. Adults are better able to communicate the severity of pain, for example. To speak up if medication isn’t working, or if they experience a new sensation.

The benefit of life experience, and the awareness of their medical state can greatly assist a home care worker in providing an exceptional level of care to an adult patient. A child, even under optimal health conditions, may not have the experience or awareness to do likewise.

Choose The Best

Your child deserves the best in home health care. At Personal Health Care, we work directly with our patient’s families, doctors, and in some cases their schools to formulate a plan of care that is based specifically on their unique needs.

If you are interested in pediatric home care in Philadelphia, Contact Personal Health Care Today and schedule a free in-home consultation.