Preparing your child for an anaesthetic

Preparing your child for an anaesthetic Families First for Health is a website set up by Great Ormond Street with really useful information for families with a child with health problems. They have a great page about preparing your child for an anaesthetic. The article says that children who are prepared before a hospital visit are less worried and cope better. Most hospitals have play specialists who help preparing children for operations – you can ask for their support during your time in hospital. The following is a summary of the articles suggestions: 1) Think about how you are approaching the situation – your feelings will rub off on your children. If you are positive then this will help reduce your childs anxiety 2) Ask your hospital for a welcome booklet/ information booklet. Some may even offer a tour so your child can see where they will be going on the day. 3) If your child is very worried about the anaesthetic then you may be able to meet an anaesthetist or visit the anaesthetic room. 4) Most hospitals let a parent go with their child to the anaesthetic room and stay till their child is asleep. Usually a parent also gets invited to the recovery area once the procedure is over to stay with their child till they are ready to return to the ward. 5) You can try telling your child what will happen by acting it out with a favourite toy. You could even buy a doctors kit. 6) You may be able to have an open discussion with older children and let them ask questions. You can also explain to older children how they will feel when they wake up. 7) Getting books about children or animals going into hospital can be helpful. You can read the full article at - http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk/families/az_child_health/a/anaesthetic_p...

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