Learning Objective #1: Identify the normal growth and developmental needs of hospitalized children

Learning Objective #2: Implement practical srategies for meeting growth and developmental needs during hospitalization

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Caring for a child with an acute illness or disabling injury presents a unique challenge to nurses. In addition to providing individualized nursing care, the issue of supporting growth and development in the face of special needs is especially important to the child's future. The purpose of this paper is to explore innovative interventions to facilitate the child's attempts to master age-specific tasks in the face of acute or chronic health care needs. Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing provides the foundation for examining the child's developmental self-care needs and enhancing nursing agency. The paper explores issues associated with meeting developmental self-care needs within the context of selected injuries and illnesses for the age groups of premature infant, infant, toddler, preschooler, school age child, and adolescent. Nurses who care for children have a unique opportunity to go beyond caring for the immediate needs of the child to the equally important opportunity to assess and support growth and development, offer anticipatory guidance, and provide a link between the hospital and the outside world of their young patient. This paper will suggest theoretically based strategies for nurses as they facilitate normal growth and development and foster the child's and family's ability to cope with present and future challenges.