The key to preparing your child for their operation is to tailor your explanations and activities to your child’s age and level of understanding. You know your child best, so you will be able to gauge what they will be able to understand and when.
Here are a few pointers we give to parents beforehand:
- Talk to your child about coming to hospital using simple, easy-to-understand language.
- Giving too much information can also be frightening, especially to young children.
- Encourage your child to ask questions and ask them yourself. With older children, making a list of questions before an appointment or admission can help address any fears or worries.
- Most importantly, let your child know it is okay to feel scared or upset. These are perfectly normal feelings and nothing to worry about or be embarrassed by. Tell them it’s alright to let you know if they’re worried or in pain.