A treatment plan is a document prepared for your child that outlines their health condition and includes personal goals and activities. The treatment plan typically includes health indicators, diagnosed conditions and medications (including the name of the medicinal product, active ingredient and dosage), as well as advice and an action plan (including further treatment, lifestyle and dietary recommendations and individual goals). During regular follow-ups, the attending physician adjusts and updates the treatment plan.

You can request a copy of the treatment plan from your physician. The treatment plan is intended to be used by both the treatment team and the patient and must be written in patient-friendly language. When setting goals in a treatment plan, the patient’s needs must be considered.

In addition to the attending physician, your child’s family physician and family nurse will remain your main contact persons. At the hospital, you can get help from the hospital’s social worker, as well as psychologists, therapists, and pregnancy crisis counsellors.

The hospital social worker provides counselling, support and guidance to patients undergoing treatment in the hospital and their family members in activities necessary for the patient’s daily coping. For example, they provide information about the benefits and services offered by the state, local governments, and private organisations; care services (home nursing, nursing care, etc); matters related to the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, as well as the process and conditions for work ability assessment, determining the severity of disability, and applying for benefits. The hospital social worker can support and guide you in dealing with various authorities and in finding and applying for appropriate support services. You can find more detailed information about the hospital social worker on the specific hospital’s website.

A pregnancy crisis counsellor provides support and necessary information to help both the woman and her partner and loved ones cope better. Although the term ‘pregnancy crisis’ seems to refer to problems that arise during pregnancy, a pregnancy crisis counsellor actually also works with life periods before and after pregnancy. Therefore, a pregnancy crisis counsellor can also support you after the birth of your child if you need help adjusting to the new situation. In most hospitals, pregnancy crisis counselling is free of charge, and no referral is required to contact the counsellor. You can find more information on how to contact a crisis counsellor on hospital websites or ask directly at the hospital.

For many diseases, specialised associations and organisations operate, where individuals with similar conditions can share their experiences and knowledge. You can find information about these associations on the website of the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People.

If you have questions about your child’s treatment, write them down and bring them to your appointment with the physician, therapist, psychiatrist, social worker or another specialist. Record or make copies of all materials related to your child, so you have a good overview of their development and various expert assessments, which you can share with different specialists involved in your child’s treatment.

In Estonia, there are several organisations that connect people with special needs or disabilities and parents, through which you can find necessary information about various support groups, as well as information days, children’s and family camps, and support services.

Several parents also act as peer consultants, sharing their experiences to support other parents in similar situations. Contact details for associations of peer consultants and trained peer consultants can be easily found online.

There are many groups for children with special needs or disabilities and their parents on social media, such as Facebook. Search for them there by the relevant keyword. However, keep in mind that information found on social media should be approached with caution, and the information shared in such groups may not always be relevant to your child’s situation.

It is important to speak to the child honestly and as safely as possible, taking into account the child’s age and developmental level. Answer your child’s questions as truthfully as possible. You don’t need to share more information about the illness than the child is ready to hear about. It is important to reassure the child that they are cared for and loved no matter what.

• Tell the truth, but avoid details.
• Speak in an age-appropriate manner.
• Answer the child’s questions.

The Estonian Chamber of Disabled People - Specific unions and associations
The Chamber of Peer Counsellors