Frequently Asked Questions

Children who require the services available at Shriners Hospitals for Children® often are referred by a physician. In many cases this will be your primary care physician.

To refer a patient, please contact the hospital nearest you. The referral numbers for each hospital can be found here.

Children up to age 18 are eligible for admission to Shriners Hospitals for Children® if, in the opinion of our physicians, there is a reasonable possibility they can benefit from the specialized services available. Acceptance is based solely on a child’s medical needs

The service area of Shriners Hospitals for Children® includes the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, the Republic of Panama and Mexico.

If your child’s condition is one that we specialize in you will receive a packet of information in the mail that will include the following items:

• A letter noting the initial appointment date and time (it will include the name and telephone number of a contact person at the hospital for you to call if you have questions about your first visit)
• Several pre-registration forms
• A checklist of things to bring on your first visit
• A map and directions
• A listing of our affiliated Shriners that provide transportation to the hospital

If your child has a condition that is not within our scope of expertise, you will receive a telephone call from our patient services coordinator explaining that we do not specialize in the service your child needs. If we are unable to reach you by telephone, you will receive a letter.

There are several documents you’ll need to bring the first time you come to Shriners Hospitals for Children®. Use this checklist when preparing for your first appointment:

• Condition of Acceptance form - you should have received a copy of this form along with your initial appointment letter. The form must be signed by a parent/guardian and witnessed by someone age 18 or older. By signing this form you are giving Shriners Hospitals for Children® permission to treat your child.
• Applicable legal documents – if applicable, bring any legal documents pertaining to custody, divorce, separation, adoption or name change of a parent or child.
• Insurance or state aid information – when possible and covered by insurance or state aid, Shriners Hospitals for Children® will bill your insurance provider/state aid provider for services provided for your child. In addition, if your child needs diagnostic testing, consult services and/or equipment not provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children®, we will use outside resources or facilities. Those resources/hospitals will request that your insurance/state aid provider be contacted to assist in the payment of these expenses and the hospital will contact them for payment authorization. It is important to note that if your child is medically qualified to receive treatment from Shriners Hospitals for Children® that care will be provided regardless of whether you have insurance/state aid or your ability to pay.
• Medical records – past medical records pertinent to your child’s diagnosis, such as x-rays, test results, and consultation reports with neurologists, cardiologists or orthopaedists, may assist us in evaluation of your child. If possible please send those reports to the Applications Department prior to your scheduled visit so the appropriate physician can review them.
• Immunization records – please bring an up-to-date record of your child’s immunizations. Your child may also require additional immunizations prior to arrival, depending on his or her age and state requirements. Please call our Applications Department at 800-850-2960 for more information about immunization requirements.
• A list of any allergies this includes food, medication and materials such as latex.
• Shorts and a t-shirt/tank top/sports bra - your child may need to be minimally dressed for some tests, such as x-rays.

The first visit can last several hours. This gives our medical team enough time to perform a thorough evaluation of your child. Please be prepared to spend a few hours in the hospital. Toys for children are provided in the waiting room, along with magazines and books. Often volunteers are in the hospital providing activities for patients as well.

You are welcome to bring your own books, toys or crafts. You are also welcome to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner in our cafeteria while you are waiting.

Based on the initial evaluation, your medical team will develop a treatment plan specifically for your child. This plan will be explained to you in detail. Before you go home you will be given a return appointment to come to one of our specialty clinics based on your child’s treatment plan.

Talk to your child about the visit and reassure him or her that you will be there the entire time. Explain that your child will be weighed and measured, and that a doctor will do an examination. Let him or her know that we sometimes take pictures, or x-rays, of their body, and that it will not hurt.

If your child is ill or has been exposed to a contagious disease, such as chicken pox or head lice, please notify your hospital immediately to reschedule your child’s appointment.

The vast majority of surgeries at Shriners Hospitals for Children® are elective, meaning that there is no immediate risk to the child that requires surgery to take place right away. Your child’s optimal wellbeing is also an important part of planning their surgery, so we may require extra time for rehabilitation, non-surgical treatments for their condition or even nutritional therapy before surgery is performed.

On average there is a three- to six-month wait before a surgery or admission. Our surgery scheduler will call you with an appointment as soon as a date has been set.

Here are some important guidelines for preparing for your child’s surgery:

• Six weeks prior to surgery – please call your care coordinator if your child becomes ill at any time up to six weeks before their scheduled surgery. This includes cold, flu, cough, fever, congestion, sore throat, infection, rash, skin eruptions or dental problems.
• Four weeks prior to surgery – you are responsible for making all travel and housing arrangements at least 30 days before your admission. Only one parent may stay overnight with the child, so you will need to find a place for a second parent to stay during your child’s hospitalization. Some of our hospitals have parent rooms onsite where you may stay during your child’s hospitalization. Please check with your care coordinator about the availability of these rooms.
  
  If your child will need a wheelchair after surgery please make arrangements to have it ready before you come to the hospital. You may need to call your care coordinator for a prescription and contact your insurance or state aid provider for pre-authorization.
• Two weeks prior to surgery – stop all herbal medicines and aspirin two weeks before surgery. If your child is taking aspirin for something other than pain please notify your care coordinator. Do not give your child ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) or naproxen (Aleve) for 24 hours before the surgery. If these medicines are taken it could mean the surgery date will need to be changed or canceled.
• One week prior to surgery – one week before surgery the hospital will call you to see if your child is healthy. For your child’s safety let us know if your child has been sick or has been exposed to an infectious disease like mumps, measles or chicken pox in the last six weeks.
  
  Let your care coordinator know if your child needs special foods or medical equipment.
• The day before surgery – if you are scheduled to be admitted the same day as your surgery you must call Inpatient Nursing after 5 pm the day before the procedure to find out the exact time to arrive at the hospital. It is critical you arrive on time. Late arrivals may cause the procedure to be postponed or canceled.
  
  Please follow these eating and drinking restrictions carefully, as well as any other pre-operative eating and drinking instructions our nurses give you the day before surgery:

• Do not give any solid food or milk products after midnight the night before the surgery.
• Breast fed children may have breast milk until four hours before the procedure.
• Formula fed children may have formula until six hours before the procedure.
• Children under the age of six should be offered clear liquids three hours before the procedure and then should have nothing. Clear liquids include water, apple juice or grape juice.
• It is very important that absolutely nothing be given by mouth for at least three hours before the procedure.

• The day of surgery – before surgery the child’s parent or legal guardian will need to sign consent forms. If the patient is 18 or older and capable he or she will sign his or her own consent forms. There will be separate consent forms for hospital treatment, the procedure, anesthesia and blood transfusions.

• Medications used at home – please bring all medications currently used at home. Please bring medications in their original containers. Also bring any other herbs, vitamins or nutritional supplements you are using. Any medications prescribed by a physician at Shriners Hospitals for Children® while a child is in the hospital will be provided.
• Appliances or other aids – bring crutches, walkers, braces, prosthetics, special shoes or any other medical appliances. Even if your child has outgrown them please bring the most recently used devices.
• Applicable legal documents – if applicable, bring any legal documents pertaining to custody, divorce, separation, adoption or name change of a parent or child.
• Immunization records – please bring an up-to-date record of your child’s immunizations. Your child may also require additional immunizations prior to arrival, depending on his or her age and state requirements. Please call our Applications Department at 800-850-2960 for more information about immunization requirements.
• Insurance or state aid information – when possible and covered by insurance or state aid, Shriners Hospitals for Children will bill your insurance/state aid provider for services provided for your child. In addition, if your child needs diagnostic testing, consult services and/or equipment not provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children, we will use outside resources or facilities. Those resources/hospitals will request that your insurance/state aid provider be contacted to assist in the payment of these expenses and the hospital will contact them for payment authorization. It is important to note that if your child is medically qualified to receive treatment from Shriners Hospitals for Children that care will be provided regardless of whether you have insurance/state aid, or your ability to pay.
• Comfort items from home – to help your child feel more comfortable and secure you may want to bring a favorite toy, blanket or other item from home. Please label this item with your child’s name and we will send it with your child into the operating room. If your child uses a special nurser, cup or formula please bring that as well.
• Personal care items – patients are supplied with a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, brush and deodorant, but you are welcome to bring your own items, as well as any other personal care/grooming items you or your child prefer.
• Items for parents – Parents are welcome to stay in the room with their child during their stay and should bring personal toiletries, money for meals, a cell phone or calling card, and any reading materials or crafts you may enjoy. There is no gift shop in the hospital for supplies, but there are grocery stores and drug stores near the hospital.
• Primary care physician information – bring the name, address and phone number of your child’s primary care physician and any other care provider who needs a treatment report.
• A 24-hour supply of special food or medical equipment – the hospital will supply such needs after that period.
• A list of any allergies – this includes food, medication and materials such as latex.
• Money for medicine for when your child goes home – the hospital cannot fill any prescriptions and you may need to stop at a drugstore to fill a prescription prior to going home.

• your child’s instructions for surgery
• the time your child must stop eating and drinking

• Before the operation – Before surgery a doctor will explain the procedure and tell you about how long it will take. An operating room nurse and a member of the anesthesiology staff will also visit your child before surgery to explain the process. Please feel free to ask any questions you have during this time.
• In the pre-operative room – You will be able to stay with your child right up until the moment he or she is taken to the operating room. When you come to the pre-operative room you will be met by an operating room nurse who will be with your child during the entire surgical process. This nurse will also come speak to you periodically during the surgery to let you know how things are going.
• In the operating room – Once your child is in the operating room a flavor-scented mask will be used to give the first phase of anesthesia. Your child may choose the flavor. (Older patients may choose to go to sleep intravenously rather than using a mask.) If your child requires an IV line, it will be started after he or she has fallen asleep, following the start of anesthesia. In most cases, any uncomfortable procedure will be done while your child is under anesthesia.
• Recovery – Immediately after surgery your child will be moved to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), or recovery room, for close observation as they awaken from anesthesia. When the surgery is finished, the surgeon will meet with you to discuss your child’s surgery. Children awake from anesthesia at different rates, so recovery times vary.
  
  Parents are welcome to be with their child during their stay in recovery. Parental visits in the PACU are determined by the child’s emotional needs and medical stability.
• After surgery - Once your child is medically stable he or she will be transferred to a nursing unit for the remainder of the hospital stay. If he or she has had same-day surgery the PACU nurse will speak with you and provide instructions for your child’s at-home care.
  
  Your child will need to be awake, alert and drinking some fluids before going home. At that time, or after your child’s remaining hospital stay is complete, he or she will be ready for discharge.

Before you sign out you will be given a return appointment for follow-up, as well as a discharge plan that will explain things like your child’s medications, dressing change instructions, signs of discomfort to watch for, etc. A member of the nursing staff will escort you and your child to the front lobby and assist in securing the child in car safety restraints to assure a proper fit.

If your child needs special equipment or home care, your social worker or care coordinator can help you find the right resources in your home community.

Before your child leaves the hospital we will schedule a follow-up appointment in our outpatient clinic. If the clinic is closed when you are discharged we’ll mail an appointment card to you.

A nurse or therapist will review care and therapy instructions with you, and will provide teaching materials to help you feel comfortable with the care of your child at home.

Your care coordinator can assist you in locating resources for items such as dressing supplies, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, adaptive equipment, therapy, etc.. Shriners Hospitals for Children® does not pay for these items or services.

A signed release form is required authorizing the release of your child from the hospital to anyone other than the legal guardian or parent. In addition, Shriner van drivers cannot transport your child unless he or she is accompanied by an authorized adult.

All children are required to be properly restrained when riding in a vehicle. If a child is under four years old or under 40 pounds a car seat must be used when traveling to and from the hospital. This applies whether you are traveling in a private vehicle, Shrine van or taxi cab. If your child is unable to fit into a regular car restraint system after surgery the hospital has a car seat/safety restraint loaner program.

A little extra padding may be needed for children who have just been released from same-day surgery. Please bring pillows and a blanket or comforter from home to keep your child comfortable on the car trip or van ride home.

• adapted sports
• medical play sessions in which the child is educated about a procedure using toys
• arts and crafts
• cooking
• video and computer games
• pet therapy visits
• Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
• special guests and other entertainment from community groups
• preschool activities for patients ages 2 ½ or younger

• Please describe the operation to me – where and what size will the incision be? How do you identify the site where the incision will be?
• Why does my child need this operation?
• Will he or she need more surgeries after this one?
• Could you tell me how long my child will be in the operating room?
• Will I be notified about how my child is doing during the surgery?
• What are the benefits of having this operation?
• What are the risks of having this operation?
• What if my child doesn’t have this operation? Are there alternatives to surgery?
• Should I get a second opinion? If I do, does Shriners Hospitals for Children® pay for it?
• As a parent, where should I go during the operation?
• Because I sign a blood consent does that mean you are going to give my child blood?
• What kind of anesthesia is used and how is it given?
• Should I give my child his or her prescribed medication prior to surgery, like seizure medication?
• Can my child continue to take herbal treatments?
• How long will my child be in the recovery room?
• How soon can I see my child after surgery?
• What should I expect after surgery?
• Will there be swelling?
• Will he/she have any monitors, IVs or oxygen?
• Will he/she be in a cast?
• Will my child go to Intensive Care after surgery?
• How much pain will my child have?
• How do you manage pain so my child is as comfortable as possible?
• How can you tell how much pain my child is in?
• Can parents spend the night?
• When will we be able to go home?
• If we have any complications/problems after we go home whom should I call?
• Do I need to arrange for help to take care of my child at home or can I do it myself?
• Will I need to arrange for special equipment for my child when we go home?
• When can my child start regular activities again and go to school?
• Should we bring his/her walker, wheelchair, braces, etc?

• Can I stay at the hospital with my child?
• What are the benefits of keeping my child in the hospital for rehab?
• How long will my child be in the hospital?
• Who will be seeing my child while he/she is in the hospital (i.e. occupational therapy, physical therapy, recreation therapy/child life, care coordination etc)?
• How many times throughout the day will my child have therapy?
• Can I be with my child during his/her therapy session?
• Can we leave the hospital at any point for dinner, errands, etc.?
• Are there things to do in the hospital throughout our stay?
• Is there a teacher on staff to help my child with his/her homework?
• Will he/she need any special equipment and if so, will you supply this for us?
• Should we bring his/her walker, wheelchair, braces, etc.?
• Will my child have therapy on the weekends?
• What type of clothing should my child bring?
• Should I bring a swimsuit?

Visitors between the ages of 3-14 must be a brother or sister of the patient. They may visit from 1 pm to 8 pm. Children under the age of three are not permitted to visit the patient rooms.

One parent or guardian may stay with your child 24 hours a day. Parents staying overnight must notify the nursing staff or care coordination/family services team.

• Only two visitors at a time are permitted for each patient. When more than two visitors are here we ask that they take turns, using the visitor’s lounge, outdoor patio or main lobby between visits. A visiting brother or sister must be accompanied by one parent/guardian.
• Sibling visitors under age 14 must wear a visitor’s pass at all times. Passes are available at the front lobby desk and are valid for one visit.
• Our patients are more vulnerable to infections, so visitors with a cold, flu, vomiting, diarrhea, pink eye, fever, rashes, fifth disease, head lice, chicken pox or other infection should wait until their condition has improved before visiting.
• Parents/guardians are not to leave the inpatient area of the hospital without first notifying a nurse.
• Visitors who are disorderly or who do not observe hospital regulations will be escorted from the hospital by a security guard and refused subsequent visiting privileges.
• Alcoholic beverages, weapons or illegal drugs are not permitted in any area of the hospital. Any visitor who brings these items to the hospital will be escorted out by a security guard and may be refused subsequent visiting privileges.

• No jewelry or large sums of money. Shriners Hospitals for Children® is not responsible for money or other valuables, such as electronics and jewelry brought in by patients and families.
• Patients who will be having surgery should not wear acrylic nails to the hospital.
• No weapons are tolerated on the premises of the hospital.
• No items containing latex, including latex balloons, rubber balls, and certain toys and games. Mylar (foil) balloons are allowed.
• No electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, hair curlers or electric razors.

The Movement Analysis Laboratory helps the doctors and other clinicians at the hospital better understand how your child walks. The staff of the Movement Analysis Laboratory uses special measurement equipment to analyze the way that your child walks. The team that works in the Movement Analysis Laboratory is made up of an orthopaedic surgeon, a biomechanical engineer, a physical therapist, two kinesiologists and an electrical engineer.

First, your child will lie on an exam table and a clinician will move his or her legs to see how they bend. Then, small reflective balls will be placed on the body. Other sensors will be placed on the legs to tell us when the muscles are working. Then, your child will walk back and forth in the lab so that special cameras can take pictures of the reflective balls that he or she is wearing. Computers then analyze these camera pictures and tell us how your child’s legs and body are moving.

No, but tape must be used to hold the reflective balls on the skin. This may pull a little when removed.

First, your child will be examined by an orthopaedic doctor and a physical therapist. Then he or she will be set up to walk back and forth in the Movement Analysis Lab so that his or her muscles and walking patterns can be studied. The entire study can take 30 minutes to an hour. Don't worry; your child will be given rests and breaks if needed.

You will return to the clinic six weeks after your study to discuss your results. For questions regarding your follow-up clinic appointment call your hospital.

Yes. Most patients have this study done again in a year. A follow-up study is done to see if treatment has helped to improve the way your child walks.

Your child should wear a bathing suit under their clothes (boys - short trunks; girls - two-piece suit). If you don't have a bathing suit, you may bring a snug fitting pair of spandex "biker" shorts and a short t-shirt or tank top (boys and girls). This type of clothing allows the cameras to see all of the child’s joints clearly. Please do not bring loose or baggy clothes to wear.

Bring any braces (and shoes that are used with the braces), prostheses, or walking aids like crutches or walkers that your child uses. Please do not put any body or hand lotion on your child’s legs or any parts of their body before coming to the Movement Analysis Laboratory for your visit because it will make it difficult for the tape that holds to reflective balls and sensors in place to stay put.

• Speak up if you have questions or concerns. If you don’t understand, ask again. It’s your child’s body and you have a right to know.
• Pay attention to the care you or your child is receiving. Make sure you are getting the right treatments and medications by the right health professionals. Don’t assume anything.
• Educate yourself about the diagnosis, medical tests and treatment plan.
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
• Know what medications are being given and why.
• Understand what will happen if surgery is needed.
• Participate in all treatment decisions. You and your child are the center of the healthcare team.

• Please notify your healthcare provider of allergies.
• Make sure all care providers wash their hands before providing care. It’s okay to speak up if you see that someone has not washed his or her hands before touching your child.
• Prevent falls. Let your healthcare provider know if a fall risk exists.
• Ask questions when you are unsure of something.
• Make sure you understand the answers.
• Choose a doctor with whom you feel comfortable.
• Write down questions and take them to the appointment.
• Keep a list of all the medications your child takes, including herbal or nutritional supplements and vitamins.
• Bring a list of medications to all your appointments. Include prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements like vitamins and herbs.
• Tell your doctor about drug allergies.
• Ask about side effects and what to avoid while taking the medication.
• Ask the pharmacist if the medicine looks different than one you previously used.

A care coordinator is your main contact person once your child is a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children®. You can ask your care coordinator any questions related to appointments, future admissions, or general needs you may have. The care coordinator will set up rehabilitation and surgical admissions, arrange referrals to community/healthcare agencies in your hometown, assist in care planning, coordinate discharge and related needs, and provide support for transition back to home, school and community.

Our hospital cafeterias serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at minimal cost and open to patients and families. Vending machines are also near the cafeteria. Many of our hospitals are also within walking distance or a short drive away from of a variety of restaurants and cafes.

If you need to stay overnight either prior to or after your outpatient appointment(s) many hotels near our hospitals offer special rates for Shriners Hospitals for Children® patients and families. Proof of appointment may be needed to require the secured rates. You may ask your care coordinator which hotels in the area offer these rates.

No. Shriners Hospitals for Children® are smoke-free facilities.

Parking varies at each hospital, but in general free parking is available either in a lot adjacent to the hospital or in a parking garage. Visit the area of our web site for your local hospital to find detailed information about parking.