Guidelines for home care of infants, children, and adolescents with chronic disease. American Academy of Pediatrics. Ad hoc task forces on care of chronically ill infants and children.

Many infants, children, and adolescents with longterm, serious health problems require frequent and/or prolonged hospitalizations that separate them from their home environment. Hospitalization interferes with the ability to form the normal, interpersonal family and community relationships that are important for normal growth and development. Caring for a child at home may be a desirable alternative to hospital-based care. Caring for a child at home, with all the necessary assistance, is more supportive of the family’s traditional caretaking and nurturing role, but home care should be initiated only when consonant with the best interests of the child and family and if adequate resources and support are available. Combining the benefits of home care with appropriate medical treatment and support requires the development of innovative programs among hospitals, physicians, parents, home care professionals, and communities. Although many home health care programs for patients with chronic disease exist, objective data about their efficiency, risks, benefits, and costs are limited. Where documentation exists,iJ home care can be shown to be a successful, cost-effective method of health care delivery. Careful planning and coordination of family, hospital, home care providers, and community resources, however, are essential for successful home health care programs, and guidelines for program development and assessment are needed. The goal of a home health care program for infants, children, or adolescents with chronic conditions is the provision of comprehensive, cost-effective health care within a nurturing home environment that maximizes the capabilities of the individual and minimizes the effects of the disabilities. This may be established to prevent hospitalization or reduce the length of hospitalization.