Health Tips from a Mother of Three

3 Tips To Prepare You And Your Child For Surgery

When you find out that your child is going to have to have surgery, your heart sinks. You are going to be anxious—probably more so than your child. However, your child is going to have fears of his or her own as well. One way to alleviate the anxiety of all involved is to educate and prepare yourself for what is going to happen. Here are a few tips to help get you through the process as smoothly as possible.

Tip #1: Educate Yourself

First and foremost, it is important that you know the ins and outs of the procedure that your child will undergo. The more you know about it, the more at ease you will feel. While it is likely that you will never feel completely anxiety-free, being completely educated about the surgery and what to expect can help eliminate the stress and fear you are experiencing. Talk to your child's surgeon about brochures that he or she may have as well as any websites that he or she recommends you visit regarding the surgery.

Tip #2: Be Open With Your Child

When preparing for the surgery, it is critical that you maintain open lines of communication with your child. You don't ever want to lie to your child, and you don't want to prohibit your child from asking questions regarding the surgery. It is important that you keep things positive when talking about the surgery. If you have a younger surgery, there is nothing wrong with delaying the talk in order to minimize unnecessary anxiety. When questions come up from your child, try to explain it the best you can. For example, if your child asks why he or she has to have the surgery. Be honest, but speak in a language your child understands, like, "You are having the surgery so you can breathe better."

Tip #3: Request a Tour of the Surgery Center

You have likely met with the surgeon in his or her office. It may help ease some of your anxiety if you get to the child surgical center prior to the day of the surgery, so call the surgery center and see if it would be alright to schedule a tour of the facility. More often than not, this won't be a problem. Now, depending on the age of your child, you can take him or her with you, as it may also reduce some of his or her worry about the surgery. The tour will allow both of you to become familiar with the location of the surgery center, what it looks like, and some of the staff members.


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