We make it as easy as possible for you and your child to spend time together.

There are some situations where we might need to control how you interact with your child to ensure the best outcome for them, such as complex pain disorders. If this is the case, the treating team will discuss the treatment approach with you and help you come up with a plan that best meets your child’s needs.

All of our rooms are equipped with a sofa that converts to a comfortable bed to accommodate one parent overnight at the child’s bedside. Your child’s nurse may have to visit the room throughout the night to provide the best possible care. Talk to the nursing staff if you have questions about what to expect when bunking with your child overnight.

Other local lodging choices available to you and your family include:

• Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan, 1323 Cedar St., Grand Rapids. This nearby house can function as your home away from home. It’s a comfortable space open to both you and your child’s siblings. A shuttle service can transport you between the house and Mary Free Bed — you won’t even have to worry about traffic or parking.
• The Inn at Mary Free Bed, on campus. These affordable, on-site rooms are available on a limited basis to families like yours.
• Nearby hotels. Many accessible hotel rooms are conveniently located near the hospital.

The nurse liaison who helped admit your child or our pediatric care manager can help you decide what works best for family. He or she can also help make arrangements with the lodging you choose.

Parents are not considered “visitors” at Mary Free Bed Kids. You’re free to be with your child whenever you’d like, with a few exceptions. There may be situations where it’s best for your child to limit when you can visit, but we’ll talk to you about those.

Depending on your child’s age, bedtime routines may begin anytime between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. We know this can be a treasured bonding time for you and your child, with beloved rituals, like story time, singing lullabies or other nightly routines. Talk to your child’s nurse about what you may be able to do to be involved in your child’s nighttime care routine.

Yes! Your child’s siblings are more than welcome to visit their brother or sister. The best time for that is between 4 and 8 p.m.

Young children should always be accompanied and supervised by an adult. For safety considerations, children who are 18 years or younger are generally not permitted to stay overnight with their brother or sister.

We welcome family friends and other relatives to visit your child during his or her stay. We have a few guidelines to help your child get the most out of rehabilitation:

• Visiting hours for family friends and extended family are generally 4-8 p.m, depending on your child’s therapy schedule.
• Extended visiting hours may be available on weekends.
• We try to protect Sundays for family time, leisure activities and rest as much as possible.

Visiting hours may be adjusted to ensure your child is getting plenty of rest.

Every child is different and your child’s recovery time may vary significantly from others. Your child’s length of stay depends on many factors, like the severity of his or her condition, specific goals, the rate of progress and even the availability of continued therapies after graduation from the inpatient hospital phase of rehabilitation.

Your child’s rehabilitation team will talk with you about a timeline based on the circumstances unique to your child.

Your child will be cared for by a dedicated team of experts who work exclusively with children and teens. This group of professionals typically includes pediatric rehabilitation doctors, nurses, therapists, care managers, psychologists, dietitians, technicians and other specialists as needed depending on what’s most helpful for your child. This may include a teacher, orthotist, equipment specialist, spiritual adviser and more.

Parents, too, play an important role throughout the rehabilitation process. While being “mom” or “dad” comes first, there are many aspects of care and exercise that parents will be involved in. You will have many opportunities to meet and form connections with the people who’ll play an important role in your child’s rehabilitation.

Your child’s rehabilitation team works together to develop and adapt an individualized plan. This plan will be unique to your child.

Every day will begin much like it does at home – with morning routines such as brushing teeth and getting cleaned up, getting dressed and eating breakfast. Any member of the team may be involved in the morning routines. Morning is also a time when medications are given, and other special nursing care needs are addressed. The pediatric rehabilitation doctor does a daily check-up each morning.

Therapies are spread throughout the morning and afternoon, with breaks for rest, meals, snacks and even for play or leisure. Therapy comes first, and our pediatric therapists know how to incorporate fun, play and sports into therapy. But kids also need time to just be kids!

Our pediatric unit has treatment gyms and social spaces designed just for children or teenagers. There are a wide variety of games and activities available in the social spaces, including air hockey, a Wii Fun Station and more.

Recreational therapy takes place everywhere – even out in the community. For many of our pediatric patients, the swimming pool, visits with therapy pets and recreation outings are favorite parts of their stay.

Rest assured, your child will have time to play, socialize and interact with family, friends and other young children or teenage patients. We’ve even designated Sundays for family, social and leisure time. We try to keep therapies to a minimum on that day.

Kids want to be around other children and teenagers want to be around other teenagers, especially those who have similar challenges. Your child or teen will be in a dedicated pediatric and adolescent unit where he or she can be around other kids or teens.

While our private rooms are great for quiet rest and relaxation, there are many opportunities and spaces where they can hang out with other pediatric or adolescent patients. We have laptops that your child can use to connect with friends.

Our recreational therapists even arrange to meet up with your child’s friends at favorite local hangouts, such as the mall, movies, restaurants, parks and fishing spots. Parents tell us this is an important feature of their son’s or daughter’s rehabilitation experience.

Our hospital also has wonderful spaces where parents can gather with other parents of hospitalized children to share experiences and support.

It can be very therapeutic for you and your child to spend time together away from the hospital. This may happen during recreational or occupational therapy.

You may also request the opportunity to take your son or daughter out on a “pass.” This can help prepare you and your child for graduation and life outside the hospital.

Your child’s care manager can talk to you about the requirements for day and evening passes and what’s necessary to prepare for a home visit or community outing.

If your child has special dietary needs or concerns, please let us know. Your child’s dietitian will work with you and your child’s team to meet your child’s needs. There is a special pediatric menu designed to offer healthy meal choices that have proven to be high on “kid-appeal.”

Cafeteria passes may be available to your child as an occasional alternative to meal trays delivered to his or her room. Your child’s nurse, dietitian or nutrition assistant can provide you with more information about these.