Isolation at CHEO

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What is isolation?

Isolation is very common in children's hospitals like CHEO. If your child or youth is isolated (we sometimes say they are “on additional precautions”) it is to help prevent the spread of infections (germs) in the hospital and it means they must stay in their room, except for tests or procedures and not enter the playroom. A child may be placed under additional precautions at the time of admission or sometimes after they have been at CHEO. Your child may have to share a room with another child with the same type of illness depending on the symptoms or test results you or your roommate have. CHEO staff will do their best to limit how long you or your roommate are on additional precautions.

How long will my child be in isolation?

Your child will stay in isolation until the risk of spreading the infection is gone. Your child will stay on additional precautions until symptoms resolve and/or the risk of spreading infection is very low. Our doctors, nurses and Infection Prevention and Control team will assess your child to decide when additional precautions can be removed.

Staying with your child in isolation

We know it can be difficult having a child on additional precautions stay in their room at all times and not go into the playroom, so we appreciate your efforts to protect others. See tips below to help your child or youth cope with being isolated. Talk to your child’s nurse if you’re not sure about what to do.

What to do

Entrance screening and exiting CHEO

• Complete your online screening questions at cheo.on.ca/selfscreen.
• If you haven't done the online screen, review the screening questions at the entrance.
• Upon entering CHEO you will be asked to wear a face mask. 
• When leaving your child’s room, please ensure you are wearing your mask and wash your hands.

During your child/youth's stay

• Stay home if you are sick. If possible, you can ask a family member or close family friend to stay with your child during this time. If that isn't possible, we'll work with you to come up with a safe solution for staying with your child.
• If you develop symptoms while staying with your child please notify your child's nurse for further guidance and please refrain from leaving your child's room.
• Masks are given to all parents/caregivers and patients at CHEO. Please wear them at all times, except while eating or sleeping.
• Besides all the other times you wash your hands, wash your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer for 15 seconds every time you enter or leave the room. 
• Remain in your child's assigned space, even if you are in a multi-bed room and the other bed(s) are temporarily unoccupied. Treat the curtains around your child's bed like walls and only spend time/ leave belongings in your own space.
• Stay in the room with your child as much as possible. Because parents caring for a child can carry the bacteria or virus on their hands, or be incubating the virus, please limit walking around the ward and hospital as much as possible. If you must leave your child’s room, please speak with your nurse first.
• We encourage you to use our guest room service menu instead of going to the coffee shop, or cafeteria to limit the spread of infections. You can also place a mobile order using our Caf2Go service by visiting caftogo.com
• Children and youth in isolation are not allowed to have visitors (parents and family caregivers are not visitors).
• Visit cheo.on.ca/presencepolicy to stay up to date on our latest parent and caregiver presence policy. The number of caregivers allowed by the bedside is subject to change during the pandemic and there may be times when we must limit the caregivers at the bedside to one. Only those who have been screened daily will be permitted at the bedside.
• Disinfect items you use in the isolation room (like breast pumps). We have Virox wipes you can use. Ask your nurse how to do this.
• Keep things tidy and try not to bring too many personal items. This makes it easier for us to clean the room properly. When available, use parent lockers for coats and extra personal items to cut down on clutter in the room.
• Don’t share toys, books or other items with others inside or outside your child's room. To control the spread of infections, we limit the number of toys from the playroom that go into isolation rooms. Please bring a few of your child’s favourite toys from home.

Common areas

Staying with your child at CHEO means you may need to use common areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Here’s how you can prevent infections from spreading to others when your child is in isolation.

• When your child is in isolation, it is recommended to avoid using any common areas to prevent the spread of infection. If you must access a common area, please wash your hands prior to accessing.
• Wear a mask when in common areas, and while in the presence of CHEO staff members
• Kitchens are available on inpatient units; If you would like to access the kitchenette please speak with your Nurse first
• Never return food or drinks to the inpatient unit kitchen after it’s been in a patient’s room. Used dishes should not be washed while at CHEO (the sink in your child’s room is designated as a hand hygiene sink only and should not be used for other uses), please return and wash your personal dishes in your home.
• Use the bathroom in your child’s room while they are in isolation (in critical care areas, a designated bathroom will be provided for you) — when they are no longer isolated you can use the public bathrooms on the unit
• Except in special circumstances, we recommend that you do not shower in your child’s room — parent showers are available in Ronald McDonald Family Room (5th floor). If you would like to use these showers, please speak with your nurse.

Helping your child or youth cope

Being isolated in their room is hard for many children. Here are some tips to make it easier if your child or youth is isolated:

• Explain to them that they are helping to protect other children who could get very sick, especially small babies or other very sick children.
• Video chat with friends and family to help your child connect with loved ones they miss.
• Ask your care team about CHEO's Child Life specialists — they help make sure that life remains as normal as possible for children and youth while in hospital.
• Ask your care team about CHEO wifi information.

Questions or concerns?

Thank you for your help in keeping all of our children, youth, families, and staff safer. We know it’s not easy, and we appreciate your help. Please direct any questions you may have to your child's health-care team.