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Surgery Jitters

Reassure your child that when they wake up after the procedure is done, you will be there, waiting. Cross your heart.

Tonsillectomy

After surgery, it takes a few days before all systems seem back to normal. After tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy, start with room temperature clear fluids, before trying cold ones like freezies. If tolerated well, i.e. minimum discomfort, let them eat, suck or drink as much as possible.

Tonsillectomy

The pain after tonsillectomy surgery is worse than any strep throat you ever have had. Coach the child well before surgery that to talk will hurt. To cry will hurt. Practice miming and brush up on playing charades. Everyone in the family should learn your personal secret hand signals.

Preparing for surgery

Do not make major changes to your child´s routines a week before surgery. If you were thinking of starting to wean from the breast, keep thinking but do not start until child has fully recovered. The closeness and guaranteed nourishment is much more valuable than dropping the routine.

Preparing for surgery

Do not make major changes to your child´s routines a week before surgery. If the baby still uses a pacifier to soothe them or a bottle at bedtime, now is not the time to wean or go cold turkey without. Let them keep their security and comfort tools until well healed.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Know your child. If they tend to make up stories or are sometimes less than honest about things that may reflect badly on themselves, reserve tooth brushing activities immediately prior to surgery. You may consider having them sleep with you the night before surgery if they tend to drink when visiting the bathroom.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Do not make major changes to your child´s routines a week before surgery. If toilet training is interrupted due to stress, don´t sweat it. Do not put undeserved pressure on the child for failure to perform if bladder and bowel control have not been fully mastered.

Tonsillectomy

The pain of tonsillectomy after surgery is worse than any strap throat you ever have had. Try to wait at least 20 minutes after giving pain medication to the child before offering anything to drink or eat.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Doctor´s orders say "Nothing to eat or drink after midnight" e.g. Swishing and spitting out a favorite beverage to give your child a hint of flavor is acceptable on the morning of surgery. If your child tends to swallow when practicing, do not attempt.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Pre-op instructions will say no food or drink for a number of hours before surgery. This is to prevent accidental vomiting while under anesthesia that in turn could be fatal. If your child tends to get up to the bathroom during the night, remove all cups that are normally kept in sight.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Most hospitals will try to schedule children for surgery as early in the day as possible. Children tend to show signs of dehydration very quickly when food and fluids are necessarily withheld.

Tonsillectomy

The pain following tonsillectomy and / or adenoidectomy is worse than any strep throat you ever have had. Talk to your child about pain and drugs or alternatives after surgery. You can lessen the discomfort by freely giving acetaminophen (Tylenol, Tempra) every 4 hours for the first day regardless of child´s denial of pain. Let the child chose the favorite flavor syrup.

Recovery time

If the child normally has an active social life, be sure to continue to include his and her friends in the recovery period after surgery. Your child is not contagious. His friends can learn a lot, too, that will make their acceptance of a similar experience a little easier.

Preparing for your Child´s Surgery

Talk to your child about pain and drugs or alternatives after surgery. You can lessen the discomfort by freely giving acetaminophen (Tylenol, Tempra) every 4 hours for the first day regardless of child´s denial of pain.

Preparing for Surgery

Do not make major changes to your child´s routines a week before surgery. If they have a favorite toy, pillow or blanket, plan to take it with you to the hospital.

Preparing your child for Surgery

If he or she has a favorite blanket or teddy bear, take extra care not to lose it. Ask the child to tell and teach teddy all about his/her upcoming hospital adventure. It is amazing how much information gets distorted between you and bear. Correct and reteach as necessary.

Preparing your child for Surgery

Supervise morning tooth brushing routines with your child. Swishing and gargling are OK. Just DO NOT SWALLOW. Practice every day for at least a week before surgery.

Preparing yoour Child for Surgery

Retain your usual bedtime routines the night before surgery. Familiarity will help settle the child. Reinforce the lessons of no drinking or eating. If you must rise before the regular routine, remind the child that you will be in to wake him up in plenty of time to get ready. Then get a good night´s sleep yourself.

Recovering from surgery

Resuming their former full activity level is a goal not necessarily required to be completed in a day. Let the child set the pace for her own activity stamina.