Your Child's Surgery: How To Help Them Cope And Recover

Health & Medical Blog

As a parent, you want to protect and shield your children from any and all possible misfortunes, illnesses, and injuries. However, try as you might, life happens, and sometimes your child sustains an injury that is so severe that they need surgery. When this occurs, you may wonder what you can do to help your child cope with and understand their injury and impending surgery, and recover afterwards. After all, children do not necessarily understand injuries and the ways of modern medicine. Luckily, there are some tried and true techniques that you can use to help your child through the difficult process of surgery and recovery. All you need to do is learn such techniques and get started right away.

Be Upfront and Honest With Your Child

While you do not want to scare your child with news of their impending surgery, you also do not want to leave them blind and ill-prepared to cope. This is a delicate balance that you need to maintain. 

Talk to your child about their upcoming surgery frankly and using terms that they understand. This means, for a young child, you will have to simplify the idea. Do not talk about surgery in terms of cutting the body open, sewing them up, or anything graphic along those lines. 

Instead, talk to your child about their pain and injury, and let them know that the doctor is going to fix them up. Let them know that other kids have done this too and they feel much better afterwards. Be as honest as possible without scaring them. 

Acknowledge Fears and Answer Questions

Even if you do everything in your power to keep from scaring your child, they will likely have questions and feel apprehensive about their upcoming surgery. Do not dismiss their fears or treat them as if they are inconsequential.

Acknowledge your child's fears. Let them know that being scared is okay and natural, and that they should not be embarrassed about being scared. But also remind them that they are going to be just fine, and that you and the doctor will take good care of them.

Children always have questions about unfamiliar scenarios. So, be prepared to answer any number of questions your child may have. Remember to keep your answers simple just like your initial explanation.

Recovery Time

Once your child has undergone surgery, you will need to have a similar discussion with them about what is expected post-surgery. After all, physical therapy and rehabilitation is a likelihood following most surgeries. On top of that, your usually mobile and active child will be asked to stay still and rest after surgery. 

Make sure that you not only talk to your child about what is expected during recovery, but do your best to ease their recovery as much as possible. Perform rehabilitation exercises along side them. Keep them in good spirits and entertained. Plan fun activities that they can do while being asked to rest. Puzzles, video games, board games, and the like will help distract them from their lack of mobility and pass the time more quickly. 

When your child needs surgery, you may feel frightened and apprehensive about how to handle the situation. However, your primary focus should be on helping your child cope with both their surgery and recovery after the fact. So, keep these simple guidelines in mind, and your child will be well-equipped to undergo surgery and recover as quickly as possible. Talk to places like Nick Roselli Occupational Therapy for more information.

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15 January 2015