Care Package for a Very Sick Little Boy

I have a cousin who lost their 16 month old to cancer and while he was going through the treatments, my cousin stated the one thing that made him smile was watching Barney. I think that DVDs or music designed for children would be a good thought. Since he is going through treatment he may not have a lot of energy to play with toys and watching childrens DVD and listening to music may help cheer him up. That is my suggestion.

We started this for a car trip, but then gave it to a neighbor who was in the hospital. We got a small metal cookie sheet and the leap frog alphabet fridge magnets, the one where you put in the letter and it says it and the sound it makes. Then we also got a couple match box cars with his favorite characters on them, all to use on the cookie sheet, it makes a perfect pseudo fridge door for the magnets and then a great road way for cars, if trains are more his thing a thomas train instead of the cars. It's something different that most people probably wouldn't get and the letters will help him keep up with that, which may not seem important in the state, but may help him and his family feel a little more normal. Good luck!!

I really love the idea of spreading things out over time so he knows he is thought of and has something to look forward to! If you go with gifts (I'm totally for drawings and crafts), my son really likes construction vehicles with parts that move and he can use together...think loader and dump truck, bulldozer and grader, etc. I got a set of 10 or so for maybe $15 at Target.

What about some cool pajamas,or tee shirt, with his favorite superhero/interest on them? Something special to wear to his chemo treatment, or after for being so brave. His classmates can sign a plain white tee with fabric markers; you can send him one that the staff can autograph. Send a disposable camera, even 3 year olds can click off a picture and they take pics of things you'd never think of

When our 16 year old nephew was fighting cancer several years ago I also thought of sending a few packages. After the first couple my in-laws told me he began to look forward to mail time every day to see if we had sent a package. That's when I realized that having something to look forward to was as important as what was in it. Think about breaking up whatever you decide to send and send each thing by itself over a period of days. (I know it's more expensive, but if this is a long battle, small inexpensive things will be fine).

When I did this for my nephew I was working full time and getting to the post office was hard. I approached our local Mailboxes, Etc. store and worked out that I would bring 3 or 4 packages by on Saturday, pay for postage and then we would mark which day to send it - they would then mail them every other day or so for me.

You are thinking of all the right things to send. My nephew was in the hospital a long time and in addition to your suggestions he really enjoyed things we would send to decorate his room - a string of heart lights for Valentine's day, markers for mirrors and windows to leave messages, glow in the dark stickers to look at when he couldn't sleep, drawings from my kids, photos of family & pets, tape recordings of greetings from us (we lived on different coasts), books on tape (depends on the temperament of a 3 year old - but you could record short picture books in a friend's voice and send both book and tape), and gag or gross gifts to try to fool or gross out the doctors and nurses. His favorite was a fake cast kit we found - his grandma helped him cast his arm and he enjoyed fooling everyone all day.

We also sent a few food treats he was allowed to have (we always checked first). For food items he also liked the silly or the gross - think gummy rats and edible paper - but again, it would depend on the 3 year old's personality.

Several years after my nephew's illness, my own son was in the hospital for 5 months and I experienced from the other side how important little gestures can be and how important it was to have things to look forward to. Even if his family is too overwhelmed to thank you properly, know that what you are doing is an extremely kind and thoughtful thing to do for them and that it will make their hard days easier.

Wikki stix are a less expensive alternative to Bendaroos and you can get them at most craft stores. My kids love them.

my heart goes out to your daughters friend and his family! best wishes to him!!

i would maybe get him something fun for him (like something that has already been mentioned)... but also maybe get him a child-friendly set of thank-you cards. it would be SO MUCH FUN for him to color them (the parents could hand write the names of course) and put stickers or whatever on them, keep him busy, without over spoiling him and overwhelming the parents. this way, hes still in touch with the people who are thinking about him, AND he gets some play time in! i did this for my cousins son (who was diagnosed with luekimia on his 4th birthday)... and let me tell you, i had to go out and buy MORE because it was such a hit! the parents appreciated it too.

again, good luck to him and good for you for being so generous and kind hearted!

Hi,

I agree that gifts may become excessive and you don't want to become part of that problem. I would ask his mother if he's strong enough for visitors (he might not be, his immune system may be depressed from his therapy). I would think that the thing that would mean the most to that little boy is to know that his friends care and are thinking about him. I think it would mean a lot to know that he's still a part of the life that's going on outside his door and that the world isn't passing him by. Once kids make friends, they do not like to be isolated from them for long periods of time. it makes them insecure and makes them feel like they're not going to fit it when they come back. Do what you can to help keep him involved from his hospital bed (or wherever he's at).

I am so sorry to hear about the little boy. As a mom of two boys I can tell you cars, trains, boats really anything boy is great. See what he is really into all those things are little and he can fly them drive them, or as all boys eventually do, crash them right where he is. Good luck.

How about some snacks? Goldfish, fruit, etc. Age-appropriate card or board games.

I agree with the other poster than he will maybe get bombarded with gifts, and those could have some not so good results in the end.

We have good friends who's daughter was diognosed with lukiemia when she was 3 (it's gone now, praise God) For 2 1/2 years she was bombarded with toys, because people felt bad . Parents once told me that it made her very spoiled and eventually they had to limit it.I think it's great that your daughter wants to do something for him and little toy and something made from her from the heart will for sure put a smile on his face.And she can also pray for him:)

You should talk with the parents to see what he CAN have. I tried to donate some new toys to hospitals for kids before, and was told no stuffed animals because they collect bacteria, and it is harder for those kids to be around that kind of stuff. You may want to check with the mom and dad if that stuffed toy you got is ok for the child to have, before giving it. You wouldn't want to cause tears if it has to be taken away. Coloring books and crayons I think would help keep kids happy, in any situation. You idea of books is great. If you want to get toys, I would maybe look into something like a little playset that is solid plastic things that can easily be wiped down and cleaned on a regular basis, to keep germs and bacteria away from the child. Movies are great, again, you could talk to the parents to ask if there is any special movie he has wanted.
K.

I have two thoughts. What about a video of his friends? Also, what about a personalized pillowcase (assuming he spends overnights at the hospital)? You can use pictures or drawings, scan them and put them on iron-on paper. Then, iron them on a white pillowcase. Adding his name in bold colors would make it even more special. Then, when he goes to the hospital, he'll be able to take something from home that he can use.

What about making a "book" of his school friends, maybe another book of pets and family? You could tape photographs of the children on construction paper and the kids could cut out pictures from magazines that they like. Each child could have 2 pages or something like that. There are many ways to "bind" it. You could laminate them at Kinkos if you wanted. You could put the pages in clear page protectors and put them in a binder, you could staple them together, anything like that. You could print out some fun monthly calendars and put stickers on specific days. Maybe make a Thursday "dinosaur day" or something so he can have fun things to look forward to. If he can have visitors, you can put those days down on the calendar too. It doesn't need to be elaborate, just something that is personal for him to look at and feel important. It's kind of you to want to help this little guy. I wish I could do something; I have a 3 y.o. also.

Ask the parents what would help the entire family. If the parents are less stressed, and things are taken care of at home, they will have more time to focus on their child, as well as get rest for themselves. It may be a project for the entire class, where the parents can offer services to the family, for example, taking laundry to the cleaners, providing a meal once a week, helping to take care of pets, wahing vehicles, childcare if there are other children, driving them to the hospital, or even just sitting with them to listen. The gift of service will not overwhelmed them with toys. I hope this helps.