Once your child is discharged from the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, your follow-up
care will take place in the Outpatient Clinic. PBMT clinic hours are Monday and
Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Your child will need to be seen at regular
intervals. Initially, these may be two to three times per week depending on your
child's condition.
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When you arrive, please check in with the unit clerk. Your child will
have his or her vital signs taken and weight done at each visit. Blood
will be drawn from their central line. The CBC results are generally complete
within an hour. If your child needs to be transfused with blood products,
the infusions will take place in the infusion room.
At least one of your visits per week may include infusions of amphotericin
and immunoglobulin. Each of these medications take at least two hours
to infuse, therefore, you will want to arrive in the morning to begin
these infusions. Oftentimes the pre-medications for the amphotericin makes
the children tired and they may sleep during these times. If your child
is in school, they may continue to attend school and we will make an effort
to give any premeds as far in advance of your child's school time as possible.
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Typically, the PAs and physicians will examine your child in the late morning
or early afternoon. If you need to have prescriptions refilled or supplies,
please let your nurse know upon arrival so that these can be filled as soon
as possible thus lessening your waiting time.
You should plan on staying with your child most of the time while you are in
the clinic. You will be expected to help watch after your child. If you need
to leave for some reason, be sure that another adult or a member of the nursing
staff is aware of your absence. You may want to bring additional food and drink
with you for your child.
Return Visits
Once you are ready to return home, information about your child's care will
be coordinated with your local physician. Your child will need to return to
the UIHC for follow-up at scheduled times. The frequency of these visits will
vary depending on your child's condition and distance that you must travel.
At these return visits, your child will be scheduled for follow-up tests, including
x-rays, pulmonary functions, CTs and evaluation by other services.
Re-admissions
It is not unusual for your child to be re-admitted after discharge. The
most frequent reason for re-admission is fever. If your child needs to be re-admitted,
generally it will be to the Bone Marrow Transplant area. If your child has good
blood counts, he/she may be admitted to a single room on the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
unit.
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