Preparing Your Child for Surgery

Our waiting areas are designed to help kids relax before surgery or a procedure.

We recognize that children and their families are more comfortable on the day of surgery if they know what is going to happen. Learn as much as you can before the big day. Ask your child’s doctor, nurses, or staff to provide you with information about your child's procedure.

If you child is old enough, help her understand what will be happening and why without using alarming language like “the doctor will cut you open.” Be open and honest with your child giving as much information as she can understand.

Surgery can be scary for kids of all ages. So you need to understand their fears and talk about them.

Common fears of young children are separation from you and the possibility of pain
School-age children may fear needles, knives and damage to their bodies. Let them know the surgery will fix the problem.
Teenagers may have additional fears—losing control, missing out on activities, being embarrassed or sounding childish. Teens may also be afraid of waking during the operation or not waking afterward.

Kids Presurgery Tours

To help your child feel more at ease, your family may tour the hospital before your scheduled stay or visit. To arrange for a tour, call 937-641-3333. If your child is scheduled for surgery, be sure to take advantage of our presurgery tour. Tours are held two evenings each week. You may also order a DVD or video to watch from home, or you may view the tour online. To arrange a tour, call 937-641-3333.

The pediatric surgical services division at Dayton Children’s has 70 specialists trained to perform surgical procedures on kids, and together they have hundreds of years of experience caring only for kids. For more information, visit our pediatric surgery main page.