Preparing a kid for surgery

thismuch

DS is 3 1/2 and is scheduled for surgery in 2 weeks to have his tonsils/adenoid out. When and how would you tell him? Any advice on preparing him?

LoveEeyore

DD just broke her elbow and I had about 4 hours notice.  Not quite the same.  But the hospital has "Child Life Specialists" who help distract little ones during things like IVs (I CAN'T believe she sat there reading about some BS princess and my unmedicated child with a broken arm just gave a little yelp- they are awesome!). 

Anyway she said keep the language minimal and truthful, but they don't need much info.  She said for DD to keep it at the doctor would give her medicine to sleep and while she was asleep, he would fix her elbow and wrap it up until she healed.  I think I tend to give too much info and would have tried to explain the putting in the pins to hold the bones,.. she didn't need that.

DD is 5.5 and that was plenty..  I would simply explain why they are broken, what wil happen if they aren't fixed, and that he will go to sleep and wake up with them fixed.  And then eat a lot of ice cream.

CareBear0607

DD had surgery to put tubes in her ears and to take her adenoids out.  I pretty much explained it like PP did.  I told her that the doctor would give her medicine to help her take nap.  While she was asleep, the doctor would fix it so that she would be able to hear really good and that she wouldn't cough up yellow anymore (those were the reasons she was having the surgery).  I assured her that I would be with her the whole time and that when she woke up she would get a popsicle.  Good luck to you and your LO!

rsd12

My son had a surgery when he was 4 years 8 months. We kept it Very simple. But we told him two or three days in advance. We had done some research on when we should tell him and the books said the younger they are the less amount of time. He had a surgery at 6, and he knew about it a month in advance because he was in the room when I scheduled it and he asked for it so he could hear better! That was for ear tubes and a much easier surgery.

At that age I would tell him the night before. But you coukd take a book out of the library and start reading it a few night ahead. there is a curious george book about going to the doctor. With my son we used the words the doctor would help him...we don't like using the words broken or fixed. A broken bone is different!

We explained to him at 4 and a half that the doctors would help with his lip, or help him breathe better. He had a cleft revision, so he use to get annoyed by the extra skin on his lip that was there for growth purposes and his left nostril was collapsed.

He remembers his last two surgeries, and is not afraid of going to the hospital or seeing the doctors.