Team up with the experts. Contact the hospital s child-life specialist to arrange a tour or individual session for your child. And read your youngster some of the many children s books available on surgery. Use dolls as sounding boards. It s an easy way to find out what s really on their minds.
Kids scheduled for surgery often feel a lack of control.
But packing their own suitcase can make them feel more in charge. Taking along a favorite teddy bear or blanket is also a good idea. Request a pre-operative sedative for your child. Studies show that a sedative before surgery reduces anxiety later on. Yet less than 20 percent of children undergoing surgery receive a calming drug that is separate from anesthesia.