Having raised 3 with CF, I stayed until they were older and they requested time on their own. It is important to keep an eye on what is going on. Mistakes happen! Both my girls have type I diabetes. During one hospitalization one girl's sugars were running high. Yes, IV antibiotics can influence this but her's was particularly high. Then we discovered that someone had been giving her a Dextrose IV! Once this was rectified her glucose levels were where they should be. I felt better staying to keep an eye on things (so did they). Base it on the child too. My son enjoyed independence at the hospital at an earlier age then his sisters. I would leave it up to them as they got older. Even then, with the girls, Saturday night Pizza and a DVDs were fun! For teens, gage it on the individual, but I agree to stay with the little ones. Even as young adults, sometimes they just wanted Mom or Dad around. Don't ever feel badly about staying! Do what you feel is right, you know your child best. Bottom line, when anyone is sick, its nice to have a loving care giver. A parent's (caregiver's) loving touch can be the best form of medicine. You are not babying your child by staying. Now as adults, they all have told me that there were times when they woke and were glad to see Mom or Dad there.