Patient and Family Information

The Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston has been helping kids defy the odds since 1966. The hospital is one of 22 hospitals in the Shriners Hospitals system, and one of only four hospital in the system specializing burn injuries. Since the Shriners first made a commitment to advancing burn treatment, a child’s chance of surviving serious burn injuries has more than doubled.

Shriners Hospitals offers a family-centered approach to care. Some of the programs and services available at the Galveston Shriners Hospital include:

• Parent home training classes to teach caregivers about the care their child will need at home.
• Transition assistance: four apartments located inside the hospital to assist parents and children in transitioning from the hospital environment to the home environment.
• Emotional support: A full staff of psychologists and psychiatrists are available to assist our children and families with their emotional needs.
• An expansive playroom, staffed with a team of child life specialists, offers kids the chance to “go play.” Play is  an essential part of a child’s healing process. Play is also an effective intervention therapy to a child in pain. It helps the children express themselves and helps normalize their hospital experience.
• A Galveston Independent School District (GISD) teacher is on staff full-time. All patients continue their school work.
• Our medical sculptor makes facemasks that provide pressure during the healing process, in order to prevent the overgrowth of scar tissue.  Additionally, the sculptor creates facial prostheses when plastic surgery cannot rebuild those lost from burns.
• Other essential programs available include music therapy,pain management, school re-entry, pet partners, kid fun committee  and special events.

Reaching Out

The Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston sponsors 12 - 14 outreach clinics each year, where a team of clinicians travel to other communities to treat children with burn injuries. Outreach clinic locations include El Paso and Pharr, Texas; Kansas City, MO; New Orleans and Shreveport, LA., Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey, Mexico