Helpful Tips for preparing your child for his/her surgery. Infant 0-1 year old

Preparing For Surgery:

• Stay relaxed and calm around your baby (infants can sense if you are stressed or anxious) • Keep baby’s routine and environment as normal as possible • Bring your baby’s favorite comfort items (i.e. blanket, toy, pacifier) • Bring a familiar bottle for after surgery • Be prepared to distract and comfort your baby (babies get fussy in new and uncomfortable situations)

Toddler 1-3 years old Preparing For Surgery:

• Prepare your toddler a day before surgery • Simple, age appropriate explanations are best • “Fix your leg” instead of name of surgery • “Sleepy medicine” instead of anesthesia • Use appropriate books like Richard Scarry’s Big Operation: The Busy World of Richard Scarrys to help facilitate conversation and answer questions in a more concrete, age appropriate manner • Allow your child to play with medical play kit to help your child gain mastery over otherwise scary equipment and procedures, may help with expression of feelings. • Bring familiar comfort items (i.e. favorite blanket or toys) • Be patient and try to maintain as normal environment as possible (it is normal for toddlers to be fussy) • Allow your toddler to make simple realistic choices (i.e. which outfit to wear to the hospital)

Preschooler 3-5 years old Preparing For Surgery:

• Preparing your preschooler 3 days in advance • Simple, age appropriate explanations are best • “Fix your leg” instead of name of surgery • “Sleepy medicine” instead of anesthesia • Preschoolers live in a world of fantasy, so be sure to explain the meaning of words carefully • I.V. is a “small plastic straw that you get your medicine through” • Make sure to explain to your preschooler that the hospital is safe and that they did not do anything wrong • Play is how preschoolers learn, so playing doctor with a medical kit will allow

your child to gain mastery over equipment and procedures and become more comfortable with the hospital experience • You can bring your medical play kit to the hospital so that your child can play doctor during certain procedures like vital checks • Reading books about the hospital and surgery may also be helpful • Bring comforting and familiar items to soothe and distract your child

School Age 5-12 years old Preparing For Surgery:

• Prepare your school age child about 1-2 weeks ahead of time • Help your child understand why they are having surgery and on what body part • You can go into a little more detail about internal processes as long as your explanation is concrete and honest (the truth is probably less scary than what your child can make up) • Prepare your child for what they will see, hear, smell, and feel • Make sure that your child understands that he or she has done nothing wrong and that surgery is not a punishment • School-age children can benefit from medical play, especially if it is more realistic • Reading books about the body and asking open ended questions will help you prepare your child • Bring comforting familiar items (i.e. toys) • Allow your school age child to pack his or her own bag of clothes and personal items

Teen 12-18 years old Preparing For Surgery:

• Prepare your teenager for surgery a couple weeks to a month ahead of time • Give your teenager time to prepare, talk to family and friends, and gather information • Encourage your teenager to ask questions to doctors and nurses (independence if very important) • Encourage your teenager to be as involved with self-care as appropriate (independence if very important) • Respect your teenager’s need for privacy • Help your teenager keep in contact with school and friends • Encourage your teenager to make phone calls to friends, Skype/facetime, or email