Patient/Family Education Materials by Category

This section contains broad-ranging information Children's Hospitals & Clinics has developed about pediatric medicine. Here you will find plain talk about medical conditions or procedures, first aid, and the like. Many topics have illustrations and detailed instructions about how to provide care at home, and when to call for medical advice. Some topics offer links to Hmong, Somali, and Spanish versions.

The information in this section duplicates information given to the parents of Children's patients during their child's care in one of the hospitals or clinics.

This section has medical information, not medical advice. If you or your child has a health problem, contact your clinic. Use these materials only under the guidance of your child's health care provider.

Test and Procedures
	Airborne and Contact Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Barium Exam: Care at Home:  Barium, a type of contrast fluid, is put into a part of the body so it can be seen on the X-rays. How to help your child get rid of the barium, and what to watch for. See Also: Video Fluoroscopic Swallow, Barium Enema
	Blood Transfusion Identification:  (Hmong, Spanish)  An ID band safely identifies your child when blood samples are given. See Also: Blood Transfusion Information, Blood Transfusion: Care at Home
	Blood Transfusion Information:  (Hmong, Spanish)  Explains "whole-blood" and blood-component transfusions: purposes and risks. See Also: Blood Transfusion Identification, Blood Transfusion: Care at Home
	Blood Transfusion Information Video:  Explains whole-blood and blood-component transfusions: purposes and risks. See Also: Blood Transfusion Identification, Blood Transfusion: Care at Home
	Blood Transfusion: Care at Home:  (Hmong, Spanish)  What to watch for after your child's transfusion of blood or blood products. See Also: Blood Transfusion Information, Blood Transfusion Identification
	Body Cooling:  Description of body cooling therapy. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child.
	Bone Marrow Test:  (Spanish)  Tests a sample of marrow (a substance inside the bone) for certain diseases. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents, Pain in Infants, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Bone Scan:  An X-ray test to examine the bones. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Botulinum Toxin for Spasticity:  Sometimes used to treat certain muscle groups: what to expect, possible side effects. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents, Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER or ABR):  (Spanish)  Measures how the ear receives sound and sends it to the brain. See Also: Auditory Evoked Potential (for neurological assessment purposes), Hearing and Speech Development, Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Breast pumping shouldn't hurt:
	Breastfeeding: solving early problems:
	Bronchiolitis:  (Spanish)  Infection and swelling of the bronchioles (small airways in the lungs), which makes it hard to breathe. See Also: Nebulizer Treatments, Secondhand Smoke: Protecting Your Family
	Bronchoscopy: Care at Home:  Examination of the respiratory tract including the trachea, larynx, and bronchial tubes. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents, Pain in Infants, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Car Seat Evaluation Results:
	Cardiac Catheterization: Care at Home:  (Hmong, Spanish)  A tube is threaded through a vein or artery into the heart: how to care for your child after the procedure. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents, Pain in Infants, Pulmonary Stents, Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Cardiac Stress Test:  This test measures heart function during exercise.
	Cardiac Telemetry:  A system to continuously measure heart rhythm and rate while your child is a patient at the hospital.
	Celecoxib (Celebrex):  Used to relieve pain and inflammation (swelling).
	Cold Air Challenge:  A breathing test to check for asthma or exercise-induced asthma. See Also: Asthma, Asthma trigger control, Bronchodilators (Quick-acting Inhaled), Inhalers
	Colonoscopy: Care at Home:  (Spanish)  Home care after an examination of the inside of the colon (large intestine). See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Computed Tomography Scan (CT scan):  A CT scanner makes cross-sectional images (pictures) of body tissues. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Care at Home:  Caring for an infant who has had surgery to close an opening in the diaphragm. See Also: Pain in Infants, Anesthesia: Questions and Answers, Post-anesthesia Care Unit
	Contact and Droplet Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Contact Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Cystoscopy: Care at Home:  Caring for your child after a procedure to look at the inside of the bladder. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents
	Dialysis:  When the kidneys fail to cleanse the blood, dialysis serves this purpose. The three types of dialysis and how to prepare your child. See Also: Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Pain in Children and Adolescents, Pain in Infants, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Directed blood donations:
	Droplet Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Eating and drinking before anesthesia or sedation:  (Somali, Spanish)  Gives a schedule for what and when a child can eat before procedures involving anesthesia or sedation, and why this is important. See Also: Anesthesia: Questions and Answers, Sedation for a Procedure
	Echocardiogram:  A test that uses sound waves to help identify the cause of some heart problems. See Also: Cardiac Conditions: Care at Home, Sedation for a Procedure
	Electrocardiogram:  A test that measures the heartbeat's speed and rhythm. Helps identify the cause of some heart problems and determine the effects of heart medicines. See Also: Cardiac Conditions: Care at Home
	Electroencephalogram:  A test that records the electrical activity of the brain. See Also: Seizures, Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Electroencephalogram (ambulatory):  How to prepare your child for an at-home electroencephalogram, what to do and what to expect. See Also: Seizures, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Electroencephalogram (Ambulatory): Instructions:  Specific instructions for an electoencephalogram with your child at home. See Also: Seizures
	Electroencephalogram (Video - inpatient):  How to prepare your child for an electroencephalogram that records the brain's electrical activity along with a video of the child's activities. See Also: Seizures
	Electroencephalogram (Video):  How to prepare your child for an electroencephalogram that records the brain's electrical activity along with a video of the child's activities. See Also: Seizures
	Electromyogram (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Study (NCS):  These two tests evaluate the causes of muscle problems such as numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, and cramping. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Emergency Mental Health Care:  Emergency treatments that may be needed in the hospital to keep your child, you, other patients, and staff safe. See Also: Safe Room Care
	Endocrine Testing:  This test will help your doctor determine how well your child's endocrine system is working. See Also: Anesthetic Cream (EMLA; LMX4), Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Endoscopy: Care at Home:  (Spanish)  Caring for your child after an examination of the esophagus, stomach, and/or first part of the small intestine. See Also: Pain in Children and Adolescents
	Enema:  Barium, a type of contrast fluid, is put into the colon so it can be seen on X-rays. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Barium Exam: Care at Home, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	EZ-On Modified Vest Video (E-Z-ON Products, Inc.):
	Gastric Empty Scan:  An X-ray test to see how well the stomach empties. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Gastroesophageal Reflux Scan:  An X-ray test to check whether stomach contents back up into the esophagus or lungs. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Gastroesophageal Reflux, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures:  Why and how to prepare children for medical procedures. Ideas for helping them while waiting, during the procedure, and afterwards.
	Intravenous Therapy:  Why an IV is needed, precautions staff take to prevent problems with the IV, and how you can help. See Also: Central Venous Catheter: Care at Home, Implanted Port: Care at Home, Peripheral IV: Care at Home, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter: Care at Home
	Keeping Your Child Safe at Children's:  (Hmong, Somali, Spanish)  Recommendations to help keep patients safe while at Children’s of Minnesota
	Lumbar Puncture:  Information about a lumbar puncture: What to expect and how to care for your child after the procedure. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI):  An MRI scanner uses a large magnet and radio waves to make three dimensional images of body tissues. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Sedation for a Procedure, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Memory Monitor Unit:  An overnight recording of a baby's breathing effort, heart rate, and oxygen level, whenever they fall outside of a set range.
	Moving Patients Safely:  Explains which patients need a mechanical lift to help move them, how it works, and how it feels.
	Nerve Block - Care at Home:  Information on how to care for a child after a nerve block procedure. See Also: Pain in Infants, Pain in Children and Adolescents
	Newborn Pulse Oximetry Screening:
	Patient Safety: Keeping Your Child Safe at Children's:  Recommendations to help keep patients safe while at Children’s of Minnesota
	Pneumogram:  An overnight recording of breathing, heart rate, oxygen level, and air flow to the lungs during sleep.
	Precautions - Airborne and contact:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Precautions - Contact:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Precautions - Contact and Droplet:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Precautions - Droplet:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Precautions - Routine Airborne:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Precautions - Special Airborne:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Pregnancy testing before a procedure:  Explains why and how pregnancy testing is done before procedures such as surgery or certain tests.
	Pulmonary Function Test:  A breathing test to help determine if a child's lungs are working properly. See Also: Asthma, Asthma Medicines, Cold Air Challenge, Pulmonary Function Test
	Radionuclide Cystogram (RNC):  An X-ray test to detect urinary reflux. How to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: After a Urinary Catheter, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Vesicoureteral Reflux, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Renal Scan or DMSA Scan:  An X-ray test to determine how the kidneys are working. How to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Renogram:  An X-ray test to determine how the kidneys are working. How to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Renogram with Lasix:  An X-ray test to determine how the kidneys are working. The test uses Lasix, a medicine that helps the kidneys produce urine more quickly. How to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: After a Urinary Catheter, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Renogram with Vasotec:  An X-ray test to determine how the kidneys are working. The test uses Vasotec, a medicine that treats high blood pressure and kidney disease. How to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Routine Airborne Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Safe Patient Handling:  Explains which patients need a mechanical lift to help move them, how it works, and how it feels. No related documents.
	Safe Room Care:  Children's Hospitals and Clinics takes special measures to ensure your child's safety while in the hospital. See Also: Emergency Mental Health Care
	Sedation: Extended Observation:  Explains which patients need 12 hour observation after sedation, what will happen, and how to prepare for the stay. See Also: Sedation for a Procedure
	Skin biopsy (punch type):  Explains how a punch type skin biopsy is done, and home care of the site afterwards. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Special Airborne Precautions:  Hospital procedures to prevent the spread of germs.
	Stool Sample Collection at Home:  (Somali, Spanish)  How to collect and store a sample of stool (bowel movement) for testing.
	Submaximal Exercise Test:  A painless, safe breathing test for exercise-induced asthma.
	Tuberculosis Skin Test:  (Hmong, Somali, Spanish)  A test for exposure to the lung disease tuberculosis: why it is needed and how it is done. See Also: Tuberculosis, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Ultrasound:  Uses sound waves to produce pictures of body organs and tissues. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Upper Gastrointestinal Series:  Your child will swallow barium, a type of contrast fluid, so the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine can be seen on X-rays. What to expect and how to prepare and support your child. See Also: Barium Exam: Care at Home, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Urine Collection (Timed):  How to collect urine samples over a specified time period for testing.
	Urodynamic Studies:  Describes tests involved in study of the bladder function, and how to prepare your child. See Also: After a Urinary Catheter, Urinary Tract Infection, Vesicoureteral Reflux, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Video Fluoroscopic Swallow:  (Spanish)  A video X-ray of a child's swallowing; helps determine cause of trouble with breathing or eating. See Also: Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Voiding Cystourethrogram for Boys:  An X-ray test to see how the urinary system is working, and how to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: After a Urinary Catheter, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Vesicoureteral Reflux, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures
	Voiding Cystourethrogram for Girls:  An X-ray test to see how the urinary system is working, and how to help your child before, during, and after the test. See Also: After a Urinary Catheter, Nitrous Oxide for Sedation, Vesicoureteral Reflux, Helping Children Cope with Medical Procedures