Before surgery
If your child is scheduled for surgery, the best way to prepare him/her is to prepare yourself first. Your child will look to you to provide direction and response; a calm, informed demeanour from you might not alleviate all of your child’s concerns, but will certainly help deflect some fear or apprehension that is common for new patients.As far as discussing the visit, your timeline will vary with age, attention span, and maturity of your child. Generally, younger children can be told a day ahead of time. School-age children and teens may need more time to think about things and may be told several days to a week before the visit to the hospital or clinic if possible. Talk about why your child needs to go, and explain what will happen during the visit. Children and teens like to know what they will see, hear, feel, small, and taste. Listen to your child’s specific fears and concerns. Use simple words and truthful responses—this is especially important if the experience will involve pain or discomfort.