These 3 tips can help ease your child’s mind
June 2010
The prospect of having surgery can be frightening for children. When they don’t know what to expect, their imaginations run wild.
Every day, Child Life experts at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital work with young patients who are about to undergo surgery, and they have the following suggestions to help parents alleviate a child’s pre-surgery fears.
- Be honest: Don’t tell a white lie to spare your child anxiety. Be up front and give your child all of the details before you arrive at the hospital.
- Describe the experience: Parents should give children an overview of what they will hear, see, smell, taste and feel before and after surgery. Ask the doctor ahead of time, and then review this information with your child before the surgery.
- Discuss concerns: Your child may have concerns about not waking up from surgery or being in a lot of pain. Ask questions of your child to understand his or her fears. Then you and the medical providers can talk about the best ways to put your child at ease.
To make a gift supporting the Child Life Program of the Pediatric Institute & Children’s Hospital or any area of Cleveland Clinic, visit our secure online giving site, or call Institutional Relations and Development at 216.444.1245 or toll-free at 800.223.2273, ext. 41245.
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