Preparing your CDH Child for Surgery
Surgery can be scary for kids (who am I kidding, it’s scary for us parents, too), but there are ways to make it a little easier.
Decide when to tell them: If you think your CDH child will be nervous about the surgery, hold off telling them until the time is near. This will lessen the amount of time they have to build it up in their mind and worry about it. If they are really little, you might even wait until you are on your way to the hospital.
Explain what will happen: You know your child better than anyone. You know what information they can handle. Some kids find medical information fascinating and want to know all the details of what will happen during their procedure. Even if your child isn’t one of those, it’s good for them to know what to expect when you get to the hospital. You can walk them through what the prep will be like and assure them that you’ll be right there when they’re done.
Stay busy: Fasting can be difficult for kids, but it’s a lot easier if they’re busy! Think of something fun to do the morning of the surgery. It will make the time go by faster. You can also get something fun for them to open, like new pajamas to distract them when they start asking about food.
Pack comfort items: Bring a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. Grab a few favorite books to read. Make a playlist of favorite songs. Let them show up to the hospital in their new pajamas. Anything you can do to make them more comfortable on what can be a pretty scary day.
Call on your village: Ask your friends or your child’s friends to write notes or draw pictures to bring to the hospital. Opening them can be a fun way to pass the time when you’re waiting for a procedure to start, or when you’re stuck in recovery waiting for discharge papers. You could even have people record messages and send them to you. Give your child something to look forward to, but make sure it’s something you can guarantee.
Pack recovery activities: Often, after surgery, your child will need to lay in bed for a little while. Be sure to bring some activities to keep them busy during this time. This could be movies, legos, puzzles, paint, crayons, or even hot wheels!
Pack recovery activities: Often, after surgery, your child will need to lay in bed for a little while. Be sure to bring some activities to keep them busy during this time. This could be movies, legos, puzzles, paint, crayons, or even hot wheels!
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