Pediatric home environment assessment

What is a pediatric home environment assessment?

A home environment assessment is when our team goes over a detailed checklist with you about various aspects of your home. The goal of these assessments is to help your family feel confident and comfortable managing your child’s care, progress and daily activities with any new equipment they will have at home.

Often, the home environment assessment reveals a need for equipment and adjustments to your home, such as:

• Ramps

• Shower seats

• Toilet seats

• Wider door frames

Our team is well connected in the community and can help identify organizations and vendors that will help make the necessary updates.

What are the benefits of a pediatric home environment assessment?

Home environment assessments are crucial to your child’s continued recovery, progress and safety at home. They help provide an environment where you, your child and any caregivers can move around as freely as possible. The home environment assessment (and any of the changes made to the home as a result) will make it possible for your child to continue their recovery at home. The better prepared you are for their return home, the more smoothly the transition will go.

We know how much your child means to you. Working with us on a home environment assessment means you will have access to the tools you need to continue caring for your child.

What to expect with a pediatric home environment assessment?

We start the home environment assessment conversation with you on day 1 of your child’s care at Children's Health. That way, your family can plan to make adjustments in time for your child’s long-awaited return home.

What to expect during a pediatric home environment assessment

We usually do these assessments virtually. One parent or caretaker is in your home and one is with us and the child at Children's Health.

During this call, the caretaker in the home will do a walk-through and answer our questions from our checklist, such as:

• How many steps are there at the entrance to your home? Does your child need a ramp installed?

• How wide are your door frames? Do they need to be expanded to accommodate a wheelchair?

• How many steps are inside your home?

• How well can your child access the bathroom?

• How well can your child access their bed?

• Are there tripping hazards, such as thick carpets and throw rugs?

• How high are the counters in your kitchen and bathroom? Will your child be able to reach and use them?

On rare occasions we will ask to visit your home to perform our assessment—we try to avoid this because we want to be respectful of your space and privacy.

What to expect after a pediatric home environment assessment

After the assessment, our team will help facilitate the process of getting the equipment and of making the necessary home modifications. Our team works hard to ensure that your home adjustments are made in time for your child’s return home. That way, your child can stay in our care up until your home is ready for them.

How do I prepare for a pediatric home environment assessment?

There's nothing you need to do to prepare for a home environment assessment. Our job is to help you think ahead to when your child goes home. Our team will walk you through the assessment so your focus can remain on your child's care and recovery.

What questions should I ask my provider about my pediatric home environment assessment?

Examples include:

• How many home environment assessments have you performed?

• How will the special equipment my child now needs affect our home environment assessment?

• Will my child be involved in the home environment assessment at all? If so, in what ways?