5 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Anesthesia

There could be a time when your child needs an operation of some kind. Examples are the removal of the tonsils, removing the appendix or removing the wisdom teeth. With any surgery comes some kind of anesthesia. You can put your child’s worries to rest with a few tips and ideas that will make the process seem a bit less frightening.

Be There
You need to let your child know that you’re not going to leave during the procedure. Most hospitals and outpatient centers will let you stay with your child until surgery begins and will allow you to go to the recovery area so that your child sees you when waking up after surgery. There is usually a waiting room with a television and even a vending machine so that you’re comfortable while waiting for your child’s surgery to be completed.

Offer Information
Give your child information about anesthesia and how it works. Explain that the medicine will make your child forget about what happens and that it will only seem like a few minutes before the procedure is over. The information that you give should be age-appropriate. Younger children might understand better with a book or cartoon characters while older children will usually be able to understand more of the medical details as long as they are kept simple.

Don’t Frighten Your Child
Surgery can be scary to think about in itself. Don’t give your child details that are frightening to think about. Discuss with your child about how the surgery will make them feel better. Don’t mention anything about needles or that your child will be put to sleep. Try not to associate anesthesia with naps because your child could put the two together in the future and become frightened about taking a nap.

Talk To The Doctor
You can usually talk to the anesthesiologist before the surgery to ask any questions that you might have. This is a good time for your child to learn about the procedure and the anesthesia. The doctor will usually know how to talk to your child in ways that you might not know about, such as offering details about the medicine used and what it will do to the body.

Stay Calm
Your child will likely be nervous and scared of the surgery. Stay as calm as possible. If you begin to cry and show that you’re nervous, then this can rub off on your child. It could also make your child not want to have the surgery if you show too many emotions. Step away from the room if you need to cry or gather yourself.