There's no substitute for a mother's touch or a father's hug. We encourage you to visit and spend as much time as possible with your child. Also, you and your family are welcome to call The P.T. Barnum Pediatric Center at 203-384-3250 any time of day or night for information about your child.

Visiting Hours in The P.T. Barnum Pediatric Unit

Family and Visiting Hours

• We welcome Parents, Primary Caregivers, and Grandparents to visit at any time.
• Siblings and other family members may visit until 8 pm.
• Please talk to our nurse manager or charge nurse if there are special circumstances.

Overnight guests

• Parents or other adult family members may stay overnight in your child’s room.
• Sleep couches are available for the use of our guests.
• Siblings under the age of 18 are not allowed to spend the night. Exceptions may be made for breastfeeding infants who are spending the night with their mother.
• Please be aware that we cannot allow a patient’s friend, girlfriend, boyfriend or other non-family member to visit after 8 pm.

Family Support

• We understand that a child’s hospitalization can be difficult on the child and family. Please let us know if you feel our Child Life Specialist, Social Worker, or Pastoral Support could be helpful for you and your family.

Friends and Visiting hours

• Patients are welcome to have up to three friends visit at a time after school until 8 pm.
• Remember that this is a pediatric floor, with many young children around. We expect that friends will be respectful in their language and conduct.
• Please let us know if you would like to restrict non-family members from visiting your child during their hospitalization.

Other considerations

• Visitors can be an important source of support for our patients during their hospitalization. Please understand that to allow our patients time to heal and prevent the spread of infection, at times we may need to limit the number of visitors.
• People who visit children on isolation precautions are not allowed in the child playroom. They are encouraged to spend their visit in the patient’s room.
• We want to keep children healthy! Siblings and other children are discouraged from visiting children who are on isolation precautions.

Visiting Patients on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

• Parents of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit patients are encouraged to visit at any time of the day. The duration of visits will depend on your child's condition.
• The only other visitors permitted are grandparents from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Siblings generally are not permitted in the ICU.
• Families are welcome to call the Pediatric ICU at 203-384-3101 at any time to ask about the child's condition and progress.