Helping Your Child Overcome Fear Of Surgery

One of the challenges of your child undergoing a surgery is that he or she might feel anxious about going under anesthesia. Your child will need to understand what is happening and that what he or she is experiencing is normal in order to avoid panicking when in preparation for the procedure.

Handling Initial Fears

To keep your child calm, you will need to provide him or her with information that is appropriate for his or her age. For example, if your child is very young, you may want to simply explain that he or she is sick and that the surgery will make him or her feel much better.

A lot of children might have misconceptions that will cause them to worry more than they should. You should begin by trying to explain the surgery yourself, but if you are having a difficult time, you can take your child to see his or her doctor. The doctor should be able to explain the surgery in a manner that your child will understand. Children are most often worried that the surgery will be painful, so it is important to explain that medicine will be used to ensure your child will not feel anything.

Touring The Hospital

Another way to help your child feel more comfortable is to take him or her on a tour of the hospital and child surgical center. By doing so, your child may become more comfortable with the location, especially if he or she has a positive experience with the staff members.

Comforting Your Child Afterwards

After the surgery, when your child has awakened, he or she will likely not even know that you have left. When possible, overnight hospitalization is avoided. However, if overnight hospitalization is needed, one parent is usually allowed to stay with the child day and night. Soon, your child will be playing in the recreation room with other children and will be feeling much better.

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Overall, surgery for children is approached very differently than in the past. Hospital visiting hours are longer. Children are allowed to have one individual stay with him or her throughout the entire process. There are a growing number of procedures that allow for children to return home the same day as the procedure. All of this makes hospitals and medical procedures much more child-friendly than in the past. There are even surgical centers designed specifically for children.