Preparing A Child for Surgery

Here are some tips from SMDC Medical Center on preparing your child for surgery:

• Talk about the surgery with your child in a positive, reassuring way. Use simple words your child can understand.
• Be honest when you answer your child’s questions. This will help your child trust you and the medical team at the hospital.
• Decide how far ahead you should tell your child about going to the hospital. For young children, ages 1-3, explaining what will happen two or three days beforehand is enough time. Older children need more time to adjust to the idea of surgery.
• Tell your child you may not be with him every minute but you are waiting nearby. This will comfort him.
• Stay calm. This will help your child feel confident and calm.
• Tell your child what will happen at the hospital. Children feel much better and are able to cooperate with the medical team if they know what to expect.
• Encourage your child to express his or her thoughts and feelings. Surgery can be an anxious time. At SMDC Medical Center, our doctors, nurses and other staff have special training in the care of children and families. They will do their best to make your child’s surgery and entire stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible.