I know from personal experience that visiting a relative in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can be harrowing.

For children and young adults it must be particularly bewildering and frightening.  But I am pleased to say that help is at hand.

ICUsteps is great charity run by ex-patients, relatives and health professionals to support people and their families during their time in ICU and through their recovery.

Yesterday they launched a wonderful new activity book for children entitled ‘Visiting the Intensive Care Unit.’  It’s brim full of information and activities that will help children understand what is happening to their ‘special person’ in hospital and talk about their fears – I particularly like the ‘worry tree.’

The resource is free to NHS hospitals and copies are going to be put in all ICU units during October.  But you can download the booklet and also order copies online here.  There’s an accompanying leaflet for patients and carers as well.

Seemed worthy of a blog of its own rather than just a tweet.

Good job ICUsteps!