Preparing your child for surgery for parents nemours. Preparing for your childs surgery can be stressful for you. Surgery can be frightening for both parents and children, but remember, your child depends on you for reassurance. Written by an anesthesiologist, the content is very accurate. Preparing your child for surgery the prospect of hospitalization and a medical procedure can bring about feelings of anxiety among children and teens. Schedule a tour with the hospital to prepare your child for surgery talk about who your child will meet and what their role is in the hospital. Remember, your experience with hospitals may be very different from what your child will experience. How and when should i prepare my child for anesthesia and surgery. It also describes ways parents can emotionally prepare their child for his or her operation. So, if your child is 2 years old, start talking about their surgery two days prior to the procedure. You can read books with your child about going to the hospital. During the period when your baby cannot eat, attempt to distract your child by rocking, walking, and comforting himher. Millions of children have surgery every year, but that may be little comfort to you if your child is one of them. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the surgery book.
Many of the concerns your child may have when preparing for a hospital stay are similar for surgery, plus the additional concern over pain. Preparing for your childs surgery preparing for your. Preparing your child for surgery texas childrens hospital. The staff at the cleveland clinic hospital realize that a child having surgery can be stressful for the parents. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Preparing your child for surgery inova childrens hospital. Ask the doctors, nurses, or staff for the information you need about what will take place so that you can prepare your child and deal with your own fears or concerns. Have your child tour the facility prior to the procedure. A child life specialist can explain what will happen, and why, in terms your child will understand.
Be knowledgeable about your childs diagnosis and surgery. Good preparation can help your child feel less anxious about getting surgery. Preparing for your childs surgery take a tour if your child will be having surgery at the ambulatory surgery center, we recommend an informal preoperative visit in which we introduce the facility and the treatment team in a nonthreatening manner. If your child is having day surgery, minimal stay is for 6 hours so bring toys, ipad, video game for your child and a book or some magazines for you. Nurses and child life specialists can assist you with this process. It is also important to help your child understand the reasons for their necessary surgery and familiarize them with the surgery process. Preschoolfocused app preparing children for meeting staff, getting their bodies ready, and going to the or. Content preparing yourself your child needs elective surgery and a date has been scheduled. They are extremely curious about what will be happening, and often ask many questions, yet they are very prone to misunderstandings and incorrect ideas of what will be happening. Preparing your child for surgery childrens hospital of. It allows children to become familiar with what to expect the day of surgery, while providing an opportunity for them to express their related thoughts.
Age appropriate information about surgery preparing for your visit. You can help ease your childs fears by preparing them as best you can with the following ageappropriate guidelines. If the procedure requires an overnight stay, there are items you should pack for your child and for yourself. Briefly explain to them theyll go to sleep for surgery and assure them they wont feel anything while asleep. A shinealight book by carron brown and rachael saunders. Talking together about your visit ahead of time may help your child feel less afraid. Having an elective procedure gives you the time to. Patients and families preparing your child clinic visit.
The child life, education and creative arts therapy department staff is available to help answer any questions you may have about helping your child prepare for hospitalization or surgery. Preparing children in advance of the surgery and hospital experience will reduce stress and promote an environment of trust between the child and hospital staff. There are several things you can do beforehand to prepare for your childs surgery. More articles related to preparing for a childs surgery.
If staying the night, dont worry about pajamas for your child a hospital gownpjs work. It also describes ways parents can emotionally prepare a child for his or her operation. If your child takes regular medicine, give the ones that your doctor has told you to continue. You may have concerns about how your child will cope with this experience. For information about preparation programs, please contact the same day surgery child life specialist at 39930899. Hopkins childrens guide to surgery coloring book this coloring book was created to help you prepare your child for the experience of coming to johns hopkins childrens center for surgery.
This book helps parents understand and organize the necessary medical and emotional components that accompany their child s surgery. Preparing kids for surgery with coloring books children are unique surgery patients. Thats why its so important to make sure that your child is well prepared for the surgical procedure. The month prior to your childs surgery, please consider the following.
You know best what your child wants to know and how much to tell them. Bring a favorite blanket or pacifier to the hospital. Hopkins childrens guide to surgery coloring book johns. Knowing what to expect can help you and your child feel better about surgery. Please see our answers to frequently asked questions about surgery for more advice on preparing for your childs surgery. Our child enjoyed the book and was less scared because the book made clear what to expect. At this stage, we suggest preparing them one day for each year of age. If you have any questions regarding preparing your child for surgery.
How to prepare your child with special needs video. Findings the picture sheet and picture book were valuable aids to prepare small children for anaesthesia and surgery by explaining the procedures that would take place. Here are some tips to help your child feel safer about their upcoming stay. Age appropriate information about surgery preparing for. Therefore, we are providing you with the information and resources you need to know to prepare children of all ages for what occurs before, during and after surgery. This coloring book was created to help you prepare your child for the experience of coming to johns hopkins childrens center for surgery. Preparing for anesthesia and surgery arkansas childrens. This handout will go over when to tell your child about. My going to surgery book readalong colouring book for kids. Helped our child prepare for surgery really effectively. Having an elective procedure gives you the time to prepare your child for the hospital and the surgery. Work and childcare coverage you may be juggling many responsibilities, including work and other children at home. Prepare your child with honest, accurate information. Its normal to feel anxious, but preparing yourself and your child will help ensure that your child is safe and healthy and your nerves are under control.
Preparing for your childs surgery johns hopkins childrens center. A great book for parents to read to their children in preparation for surgery. Read books about the hospital or surgery with your whole family. Preparing the preschoolaged child for surgery preschoolaged children are learning and absorbing new information and details about the world with every interaction that takes place. We know that a surgery or procedure is a big event for you and your child. We also offer advice on what to expect during the hospital stay and after the hospital stay information is also available in our welcome book questions to. Preparing your child for surgery connecticut childrens. Preschoolers ages 3 5 years during the days leading up to your childs surgery, you may want to talk about going to the hospital and what your child can expect to.
Give as many choices as possible to increase your childs sense of control. Additional helpful information for preparing for your childs surgery at inova childrens hospital is contained in our brochure, preparing your child for surgery available in english and spanish. Caregivers should begin preparing preschoolers for surgery several days before the procedure. The list below has been compiled based on suggestions offered by our patients and their families. If your child is having surgery at the main hospital in philadelphia and youre interested in scheduling a tour for your child, please contact the day surgery child life specialist at 2155903836 if your child is having surgery at any of the ambulatory surgery centers bucks county, pa, exton, pa, king of prussia. Preparing the preschoolaged child for surgery choc. Books can help kids prepare for what to expect at their level. Example, basic preparation that can be introduced at a preop visit or preop clinic. After the surgery, you may return to your child in the recovery room. The staff at the cleveland clinic hospital realize that. This printable book encourages the child to write about themselves, along with coloring pages that help parents answer their childs questions. Preparing kids for surgery with coloring books verywell. Preparing for your childs surgery we want your family s experience at johns hopkins children s center to be a positive one.
This book is designed to help you and your child know what to expect on the day of surgery. Favorite dollsstuffed animals, books, music, games and toys often make children feel more comfortable. The book is about a tonsillectomy and our child had a different surgery, but we were able to adapt the story easily. We showed caden the hospital id bracelet and told him daddy has a booboo and that he needs to be careful. Your child may brush his or her teeth the night before and morning of surgery. Choices can increase your childs sense of control, so offer them when appropriate and possible. If your child is scheduled to have surgery at childrens hospital of philadelphia or one of our surgery centers, parents and caregivers can use these surgery prep books to help prepare them and ease their fears. Preparing your child for surgery for parents nemours kidshealth.
A book for brothers and sisters of hospitalized children by debbie duncan. Preparing your child for surgery ucsf pediatric surgery. Hi, i have been having issues with back pain, blood in my urine, and had a fever. The american association of nurse anesthetists coloring books titled, sweet dreams at the hospital, will help to prepare your child for surgery and anesthesia.
If this is an emergency, please get immediate help by calling 911 or going to your nearest emergency department. Encourage your child to help select and pack items to take to the hospital. Preparing for your childs surgery stony brook childrens. As your child awakens, he or she will not even realize you left. Preparing your child for surgery shannon hood, ccls. An accurate portrayal of surgery framed in a way children can understand. Toddlers 1 to 3 years old toddlers are best prepared a day before surgery, by using simple words that they understand. In an easy to follow timeline for events prior to and following a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy, the author provides reassuring and accurate guidance that eases the process for the patient and family. Find books, appropriate to your childs level of understanding, about what to. It allows children to become familiar with what to expect the day of surgery, while providing an opportunity for them to express their related thoughts and.
A mott child life specialist shares several books that can help. If your childs surgery is at the dodson surgery center, youll go to 1500 cooper st. The parents expressed that knowledge of the procedures made them and the child feel secure. Bhatias book takes a potentially scary experience and turns it into a fun adventure. Preparing your child for a tonsillectomy nurse loves farmer. Prepare for your childs surgery nyu langone health. Read books with your child about going to the hospital. Your child needs elective surgery and a date has been scheduled. Katie is a nurse from the surgery team at riley childrens health. Here are more resources and books pdf on how to prepare children of all ages for surgery or a hospital stay. When typically well children come in, it can be scary because they dont know what to expect. Be honest with your child about where he or she is going.
When preparing your child for surgery, it is important to provide age appropriate information to alleviate misconceptions and minimize fears or possible feelings of guilt. You may park in the 7th avenue garage or you may use our dropoffvalet location at. When you feel prepared and calm, you can best help support and comfort your child before hisher surgery. A child who is prepared for the tonsillectomy procedure generally adjusts better to the surgery and recovery than children who receive no proper preparation, notes a study in pediatrics, the official journal of the american academy of pediatrics 2. It talks about a boy named iggy who is getting his tonsils out a very common procedure but also one of our most challenging. For kids happy kids books book 1 kindle edition by bhatia, shivani. Preparing your 3 to 5yearold for surgery saint lukes. For many children, it is important that they are prepared for these experiences. When children need surgery and anesthesia, it can be hard to explain to them whats going to happen. While you are waiting for your childs surgery, you may want to bring a favorite book, blanket, stuffed animal or toy. Read this sheet to find out how you can help prepare your child for surgery. Operation sneakapeek a tour of the facilities before your childs procedure. Picture book support for preparing children ahead of and. Unlike emergency surgery, an elective procedure isnt done as an immediate matter of life and death.
Schoolage adolescents hopkins childrens guide to surgery coloring book. The story, complete with great illustrations, is a wonderful way to introduce surgery to children. Your school aged child is having surgery and its normal for you to feel nervous. Your childs surgery or procedure preparing your child. In this video, she walks children and their families through what they can expect when having surgery at riley hospital for. Be honest about what will happen and what may hurt. The book covers topics such as preparation for the hospital stay.
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