When Is Your Child Old Enough to Visit Grandma in the Hospital?

The debate has been on for generations about how old a child should be in order to visit someone in the hospital, with no definitive answer as of yet.  I believe, as I am sitting here in the hospital with my mother, this would be the perfect time to make my views known on this topic. 
For me, there is not a single answer that applies to all children.  I think that you as the parent know your child best, and I suggest that you answer a few questions with regard to your child before making your decision.  Is your child able to behave themselves long enough for a short visit?  What is their relationship with the patient?  What is the prognosis for the patient?  How does the person look?

For the most part, I believe that with a little preparation, most children will not be traumatized by a short visit to see someone they are close to who is in the hospital.  Besides keeping the visit short, I think the key to making this visit a success is Preparation, Preparation, Preparation.  Talk to your child about what they will be seeing in great detail.  One idea is to skype with the person in the hospital prior to the visit.  If you are concerned about your child's reaction hurting the feelings of the person in the hospital, you can turn off the patient's video feed and mute the child's reaction from your end.

Using skype to touch base with a child who lives out of town will provide closure if the prognosis is not good.  Allowing them the time to say good bye via a video connection will help with the grieving process when the time comes.