Many children need surgery at some point. The hospitals and surgery centers in the Reno/Sparks
area are very experienced in dealing with children.
Because surgery is not a routine experience for the child, he or she is often quite anxious.
The best way to decrease the child's anxiety is to give him or her a full explanation of what's
going to happen and why. Any child two years or older will benefit from this preparation. Below
is an example of what a parent might tell a child scheduled for surgery:
"Do you remember when we went to see the doctor about your sore throats? (earaches,
groin lump, etc.) The doctor thinks an operation will help you, and it will be done next week.
You won't be hurt, but it is a little scary because you haven't been through it before."
"On the morning of surgery, you won't get any breakfast or anything to eat or drink
until after the surgery. It is important for your stomach to be empty so you won't throw up
during or after the operation."
"On the morning of surgery, we will go to the hospital, where we will first fill out
some forms. Then we will go with a nurse and she will weigh you and take your temperature.
The nurse will ask you to take off your clothes and put on a funny hospital gown that goes
on backwards. She might let you keep your underwear on."
"After that, you will sit on a bed with wheels and wait for the anesthesiologist to
come and talk with you. The anesthesiologist is the doctor who will give you some medicine
that makes you sleep throughout the operation, so you won't feel any pain."
"Everyone who works in the operating room wears special clothes, a hat and a mask. The
nurse will take you to the operating room on the bed with wheels. I won't
be able to come into the operating room with you, but the nurse and doctor will take good care
of you."
"The doctor will most likely put you to sleep by having you breathe some medicine from
a clear plastic mask. The medicine smells funny, but not awful. The surgeon
will do the operation while you're sleeping."
"After the operation, you'll wake up in a big room with other people, who are also waking
up from surgery. After you've been awake a few minutes, I can come in and
sit with you until you're ready to come home. You may hurt after surgery, but the nurse will
give you some medicine that will help a lot."
If you cover this information two or three times, the child will have a good idea of what's
going to happen next, and is likely to be less anxious.
Parents should know that the drugs used in children are generally the same as those used in
adults. And just like adults, children, no matter how small, are completely asleep for the operation.
The instructions to NOT eat or drink before anesthesia and surgery are for your child's safety.
Anesthesia and sedation blunt the protective reflexes that prevent food and stomach contents
from getting into the lungs. Particulate matter and the digestive acids secreted by the stomach
can cause a life-threatening pneumonia if they are aspirated into the lungs.
Your child may have clear liquids up to four hours before the scheduled time for surgery. Clear
liquids are liquids that you can read a newspaper through. This includes water, fruit juice without
pulp, and clear tea.
Infants may be given breast milk up to four hours or infant formulae up to six hours prior to
scheduled surgery.
Do not give your child non-clear liquids or solid food after midnight the night before surgery.
If your child requires any medications, they may be given as scheduled with a small sip of water.
Children having ear tubes usually do not have an IV started.
Other children usually have an IV started after they are asleep. A few children, especially
those having emergency surgery, or with heart or lung problems, will have an IV placed before
they go to sleep. If you have any questions not answered here, be sure to write them down and
ask your anesthesiologist.
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