Getting Your Child Prepared to Endure Surgery
As parents, we understand just how curious children can be. So, when they are faced with the potentially fear-inducing concept of surgery, it’s no wonder that they have a lot of questions. Getting your child prepared to endure surgery will involve answering those questions in a way that alleviates the fear that he/she is experiencing.
If you’re lucky enough to be utilizing the impressive expertise of Dr. Jill Orford, you should feel at ease about the procedure. She is skilled with children of all ages, from birth to adolescence. Her more than two decades worth of experience working with young and vulnerable patients is unsurpassed. Both public and private hospitals consult with her about pediatric surgery. She will instill confidence in you and provide your child with caring, compassionate service. This will better enable you to answer your child’s questions without hesitation or concern.
Facing the Hard Questions About Surgery
When your child realizes that surgery is imminent, there’s no doubt that many questions will arise. Understanding which questions are most common, and how to answer them, will make comforting and educating your child a good deal easier (this might help too). So, it is time to focus on facing the hard questions about surgery:
- What’s an operating room? You can explain that the operating room is also called the OR. And then you can tell your child that it’s the place where people go to have surgery.
- What’s an operation? That word might seem a little scary to your wee one. Therefore, it’s best to tell him/her that it is the same as surgery. You can further explain that an operation is designed to work on the inside of the body to fix something that is wrong. And, you can add, a special kind of doctor, called a surgeon, performs them.
- Who will be at the hospital? Kids will be very concerned about the prospect of having to meet new people. That can be overwhelming for sure. So, explaining who they will meet is always a great way to prepare them. Tell your child that he/she will first meet someone at the reception desk. Then talk about the nurses. Tell your child, “these lovely people will check your pulse, temperature, and ensure that you are ready for surgery.” And then, you can add the information about the anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, and finally the surgeon. Click this for additional help.
- What’s with all the masks? Some kids think the masks are cool, but others find them intimidating. So, they will need to understand why there are so many people wearing masks. Just explain that the masks keep the OR free from germs.
- What happens when it’s time for surgery? This will probably be the most daunting question. Some of your answers will probably be met with irritation and maybe even some whining. First, you’ll have to tell your child that he/she won’t be able to eat breakfast or have anything to drink because it could make him/her get an upset stomach. Then he/she will go to the OR to get anesthesia and have the surgery without feeling the pain it might cause. A nurse will be there when he/she wakes up and then the family will be allowed to come in.
Think about how scared you get before having a major procedure. Do your best to alleviate that fear for your child. You can get some more tips here.…