Overview
Most children need to stay in the Intensive Care Unit for 3 to 7 days and stay in the hospital for 5 to 14 days. By the time the child is transferred out of the intensive care unit, most of the tubes and wires have been removed and they are encouraged to resume many of their daily activities. At the time of discharge, the parents are instructed on activity, how to care for the incision and how to give medications their child may need to take such as Digoxin, Lasix, Aldactone and Coumadin. The child needs at least several more weeks at home to recover.
Review Date 10/23/2023
Updated by: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.