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Prepare for Surgery

If your child has to have surgery, it can be a very scary experience. Not only will your child be scared of having surgery, but you won’t be able to be there for all of it, and this can make it be even scarier.

There are a few things that parents can do to mentally prepare the child and to make it a little less difficult and scary for them:

• Be as honest as possible without scaring them—
Explain to your child why they need surgery, what the doctor will be doing, how long the surgery takes, how they will feel better when it’s over, etc.

• Buy them a surprise—
This should be something that your child will love, and it is to be given after surgery. If it is something they can have while in recovery, you should give it to them then. If not, it should be something they can have as soon as they get home. You should tell your child about it before the surgery, this way they have something to look forward to for when it’s over.

• Take comforting items—
You should take anything with you to the hospital that comforts your child. If they are attached to a stuffed animal or blanket, you should let your child take this with them to the hospital. While they won’t be able to have it in the operating room, they won’t know this.

• Make it sound neat—
If your child thinks it’s cool to have scars, tell them about how cool the one they will have is going to be, and how their friends will all think it’s cool. Have any friends or relatives who have had surgery talk to your child and tell them how easy it was and show their scar. You can also help make it sound cool by bragging to relatives and friends. Make sure that your tone when you talk about it is like you wish you could have surgery too.

• Offer Assurance—
Not only should you assure your child that it’s no big deal and they will feel better after it’s over, you should also assure them that you will be there when they go in to surgery and when they get out. Let your child know that you will be in their room waiting for them when they get back (and be sure and be there when they get back).

While none of these things will dissipate all of your child’s anxiety or nervousness, they can at least help to make it a little easier. It is a scary thing to have to face surgery, especially for children, so be as patient as possible with your child and listen to his fears honestly and try to help him face those as easily as possible.

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