Visiting Policies
Family support is important to children in the hospital. Most of our patient care units welcome and encourage parents / guardians to stay with their child at all times. Another family member or close friend over age 18 may stay with the child if the parent must leave.
Our intensive care, bone marrow transplant and psychiatric units have unit-specific guidelines. Staff will discuss any special guidelines with you.
During the flu season, visitor guidelines are as follows:
Visitor Restrictions - Winter - Starting December 17th
- All VISITORS should be healthy – free from fever, cough, or colds or stomach virus symptoms
- Visitation by children under 14 years of age is limited to siblings only. Non-siblings who are over the age of 14 years and are healthy may visit in the patient’s room.
- No more than two (2) visitors (in addition to parents/guardians) should be in patient rooms at any one time
- Only parents or guardians should visit in our critical care areas.
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
- Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
- Newborn Intensive Care Unit
- Limited visitation in critical care areas by parent-designated other individuals must be arranged in advance (with the critical care staff or leadership)
- Children in waiting areas must be supervised at all times.
- In general, only children seeking evaluation or treatment at Cincinnati Children’s should be brought to the facility.
During non-restricted times, visitor guidelines are as follows:
Guidelines for Parents / Guardians
Parents / guardians and designees are welcome 24 hours a day.
- Parents / guardians are given an armband for identification.
- Two parents / guardians or designees may stay overnight.
Other Family Members and Friends
Let your family and friends know that they are welcome to visit from 8:30 am through 8:30 pm.
- When you are admitted, you are asked to list approved visitors. You may add or remove a name at any time.
- Family members and friends must stop at the Welcome Center to get a sticker before coming to your room.
- If a person comes to visit who is not on your list, the Welcome Center will call you on the unit. If you give permission, the name will be added to the visitor list. If you are not present, the visitor will not be allowed on the unit and will be instructed to contact you about being added to the list.
Visitor Restrictions
- Help keep your child free from infection. Ask all visitors not to come if they have a fever, cold or other sign of an illness your child could catch.
- During cold and flu season (December 15 to March 15), visitors must be healthy and over 14 years of age.
- Visiting restrictions may begin earlier, continue longer or be announced at other times of the year if there are concerns about illness in the community.
