December 2,2025

/ admin

A caregiver’s guide: 10 ways to help your child lead a normal life after a paediatric liver transplant

Dear parent, we know it is challenging but don’t lose hope. It would be best if you garnered every ounce of strength remaining in your vein post-surgery to help your child get back to normalcy bit by bit. It is tough being a parent; all parents are invariably the caregiver of the child. However, when your child has undergone a life-saving surgery like a liver transplant, it might call for some extra efforts to be the sole caregiver for your child. Whether you and your spouse are going to split responsibilities while taking care of your child, or you will do it all alone. Here are a few guidelines that can help:

Be there for your child: By this, we don’t mean just being physically present with your child during doctor’s appointments and hospital stays. Engage more with your child – talk, play, do activities together, read – there are a variety of things that you can do with your child to make them feel at ease and take the stress off during the initial days post-surgery, while the feeling is just settling in for both you and your child. It doesn’t matter whether your child is one- or 11-year-old; being there with your child will make all the difference – help them accept the reality and be at ease with the situation. If you are a working parent or both partners go to work, it might be challenging to stay back with your child 24/7 once you get back home. But still try to make your child a priority, set time to spend with your child every day.

Ensure that the carer you choose (whether a close relative, grandparent or professional help) to leave your child with during your absence is trained enough to take care of your baby.

Be diligent with medications: Post-transplant, your child would need to be on immunosuppressant lifelong. Make sure that you maintain the medication routine diligently and take your child for timely clinic visits. Post-transplant medications are prescribed to minimise the risk of rejection of the new liver and improve quality of life. If your child is too young, it becomes your prime duty to help your child take medications on time. Once your child is old enough, teach your child to take the medications on time and help them maintain a routine with medications and doctor visits without skipping either.

Encourage to take up recreational activities: Fitness should become of utmost importance post-transplant. Exercise helps to boost immunity, improve overall health and reduce risks of diseases and illness. Since your child will have to take some medications, especially immunosuppressant, lifelong, some of these medications can have side effects, so additional medications can be prescribed to counter these side effects. Being on such medications lifelong can have an impact on the body. Regular exercises can help reduce the impact of continuous medication on other organs. Post-transplant encourage your child to take up activities that boost blood circulation and keeps them heart-healthy. Walking, running, skating, swimming or other aerobic exercises are suitable for your child. Some sports that you can opt for your child are – football, badminton, netball, among others. However, refrain from combat sports or martial arts where there could be a greater chance of injuring the abdomen.

Practice positive thinking: We don’t realise, but sometimes the stress of a transplant, funds, social stigma all take a toll on the child and us. If you, as a parent express negative emotions towards life, it will reflect poorly on your child. So, practice positive thinking and maintain a gratitude diary to help you see things from a positive perspective. This will invariably help your child, too, especially if you both can practice writing a gratitude journal together.  A positive mind will help live a happy life that can help one accept certain harsh truths of life.

 

Maintain high-hygiene standards: Given the pandemic, we are sure you are making your child follow all the safety protocols, but for one who has to live a healthy life after a transplant. Ensure that your child is educated about basic hygiene rules. These will keep infections at bay and help your child live a life with fewer health complications.

Check on your child’s vaccination schedule: Ensure your child is vaccinated against other infectious diseases and don’t miss out on a vaccination. If you do, talk to your paediatrician to know what steps need to be taken. Many doctors advise transplant patients and their family members to take the flu vaccine every year. Check with your doctor if one is needed for you and your child.

Help your child to socialise: If your child is an infant or very young, socialising will not be a problem as they grow up. But if you have a young child, you might have to nudge him/her a bit to socialise with other kids. Don’t force anything. Every child adapts to this world at his/her own pace. But ensure that your child doesn’t live a childhood of isolation and gloom. Playdates, meeting friends at park, or organising a picnic with other families who have kids of the same age can help.

Follow a normal life pattern: Don’t make the transplant be the central point of your life. Your child will need to maintain certain restrictions and follow some guidelines after the transplant. But don’t make the past haunt the future. Lead a life as usual as you can. Don’t build a wall of fear in your child’s mind. Don’t bring up the topic of transplant in your daily conversation. This will help your child to come out of fears and lead a normal everyday life.

Keep a tab on diet: It is essential to maintain a healthy diet post-transplant to help the body heal and get stronger. To help your child eat healthy, eat the food you cook for your child together. If you follow a healthy diet pattern, it will make it easier for your child to stick to the same. Remember, children learn by seeing their parents.

Get in touch with a support group: Sometimes, even after doing everything right, it can have a negative impact on one’s well-being; get in touch with support groups to share your worries and seek support.