Exploring Outings and Tips for Families with Medically Dependent Children or Children with Illnesses and Disabilities! [Supervised by Tokyo Outing Project]

Even at home, children requiring medical care often need special attention regarding their health. Taking such children out can be daunting for some parents.

The author also has a child requiring medical care, and in their early years, outings were particularly challenging.

However, there are times when you have to go out for medical appointments, and there's also the concern that "the child might get bored staying at home all the time," so I would muster up the courage to go out.

It seems I'm not alone in feeling this way. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 65.3% of respondents said they found outings with medically dependent children extremely difficult.

Reference: "Survey Report on the Living Conditions of Children Requiring Medical Care and Their Families" P54 | Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

It's no wonder, as depending on the child's medical needs or disabilities, you may have to carry a lot of equipment, each weighing several kilograms, making it not uncommon for the total luggage to exceed ten kilograms. Loading it onto a stroller is quite a task.

Additionally, considering the need to perform suction or other procedures as needed while monitoring the child's condition, going out can become a burden.

Moreover, there are cases where time constraints limit the duration of outings.

For instance, if a child constantly needs oxygen, you have to carry an oxygen tank, which is quite heavy. The number you can take is limited, so you must plan to return home before the oxygen runs out.

Outings with medically dependent children can be quite challenging.

In this article, we would like to introduce preparations and support services to make outings with medically dependent children a bit easier.

We hope this will be helpful for those who think, "I want to go out! But thinking about everything makes it overwhelming..."

Reference: Tokyo Outing Project

1. Challenges of Outings with Medically Dependent and Disabled Children

According to a survey conducted by Himeji University with parents, the main reasons for difficulties in outings with children and individuals with severe physical and mental disabilities include "road and passage issues," "parking issues," and "toilet issues".

Reference: Study on the Characteristics of Outing Behavior and Factors Making Outings Difficult for Children and Individuals with Severe Physical and Mental Disabilities | Himeji University Graduate School of Nursing Research (2018)

Regarding roads and passages, there are issues such as steps, unpaved roads causing strollers to shake, and narrow passages making it difficult for strollers to pass.

For parking, there are facility issues like insufficient wheelchair parking spaces and lack of roofs causing wheelchairs or strollers to get wet during transfers, as well as moral issues where general people or the elderly occupy these spaces.

Regarding toilets, there are many voices saying that there are no multipurpose toilets at desired locations, and while there might be spaces for changing infant diapers, there are no spaces for changing older children's diapers. There is a hope for the installation of multipurpose toilets and diaper-changing beds.

The "Tokyo Outing Project," which will be introduced later, confirms with facilities in advance whether there are rooms or sofas that can be used as multipurpose rooms if there are no multipurpose toilets, and arranges partition boards if there are not enough screens.

With many issues beyond their control, how do families with medically dependent or disabled children manage to go out?

2. Tips for Families with Medically Dependent or Disabled Children Going Out Alone

2-1. What Do Families with Medically Dependent or Disabled Children Pay Attention To?

Experienced parents are well aware of the barriers they may encounter at outing destinations. Knowing about these in advance, including how to prepare for them, can provide peace of mind.

Nowadays, many companies and individuals share information about "outings with medically dependent children" on YouTube and social media, so watching these can help you simulate the experience.

For example, the YouTube channel of the NPO Unleash features videos on preparing for outings with children who require multiple medical care, such as ventilators and suction.

There are also videos on preparing for outings with children who have gastrostomy tubes or traveling with children requiring medical care on the Unleash YouTube channel.

Gaining insights into preparations and tips from experienced parents is very reassuring.

If you want to learn more about the NPO Unleash, please check the link below.

Reference:

2-2. What Kind of Facilities Provide Peace of Mind?

Once you have a good idea of the necessary preparations for outings, the next important point is to consider where to go.

Checking in advance whether the location has the minimum necessary facilities can ensure a worry-free outing.

So, what facilities provide peace of mind?

As mentioned in the earlier survey, the availability of multipurpose toilets is a crucial factor when selecting an outing destination.

Multipurpose toilets are used not only for changing children's diapers but also when parents need to use the restroom.

Due to the need to move with a child in a stroller, regular toilets are too narrow to enter with the child. Leaving the child in the stroller outside while using the restroom is not an option.

For this reason, having a multipurpose toilet spacious enough to enter with the child's stroller is essential when considering outing destinations.

When deciding on an outing location, it's reassuring to check for the presence of multipurpose toilets and whether they have beds suitable for changing children's diapers.

3. Support Services for Families with Medically Dependent or Disabled Children During Outings