Preping dc for tubes questions........

abpdjs

Carson will be getting a second set of tubes and his adenoids removed soon (i am scheduling the procedure tomorrow).  The first set he got when he was 17 months so he was young enough to not really understand what was going on.

Well, he KNOWS the doctors office now and flips out becasue he doesn't want to be messed with.  When we had him at the ENT yesterday he was fine until they called us back then he screamed and cried and wanted to go bye bye the whole time and also through the xray (they xrayed his sinuses).

I want to prepare him for this little simple procedure.  Last time I remember they preped him and kept us in this holding area with other little ones waiting to be taken back for tubes.  I REALLY don't want him screaming and upset the whole time we wait.  Are there any books or any simple conversation I can have with him to help him understand and prep him a little to cut back on his anxiousness on the actual day?  He does have a doctors kit and a Diego doll....maybe work those into the convo to help him understand and feel comfortable?  He does have a lovie blankie and I will take that with us.  TIA!

Hooray2005

Is he being seen at a pediatric facility - if so, ask if they have Child Life Specialists - they're experts at helping children prepare for procedures, and are amazing at helping calm children (and their parents!)

Things to think about before you begin the prepping adventure:

Some children are information seekers, and some are information avoiders - think about your DS and try to determine which type he is (for example, does he like to look away when getting shots or is he curious about what the doctor/nurse is doing, asking questions, etc).  This information is essential - giving an information avoider too much "prep" can actually be counter productive  (or denying an information seeker access to asking questions/watching/learning can make things worse, too).

Depending on what type of child your little one is, let this guide how you prep him.  An information seeker will benefit from discussing the procedure beforehand, whereas an avoider may actually do better if you don't do a lot of prep ahead of time (it will just give them more to worry about).

Also, the biggest part of children's anxiety and worry around medical procedures often comes from parents.  It's not always obvious, but your worry, your stress, your 'worring if he'll worry' is easy for children to pick up on and then draw the (incorrect) conclusion that "if mommy's worried, there must be something real to worry about."  If you're worried at all (even if it's worrying about how he'll behave/react to the waiting/the procedure) he'll know it (even if you think you're hiding it).  So be sure to think about the subtle messages you might also be sending (not saying you are, but it's easy to put all the worry on the child and not see the parent's role - one that is often more influencial!  Reality is, any parent is going to feel worried if they think they're child is worrying - the trick is to find ways to be super-calm in spite of the worry)

Answer questions simply and honestly - if he asks a question, you can ask him why he wants to know something before answering - that will help you gauge what you tell him. Honor his feelings and help them label them - "I can tell by your screaming that something's bothering you.  What do you not like?" Also, asking even a young child how to make the situation better can be helpful - they often have better ideas than we do

GL and hope the procedure goes well