Having Surgery: What to Expect

When your child has been scheduled for surgery, our compassionate care team of pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses will help you understand the upcoming procedure and guide you through the entire process.

Our resources — created specifically for families — connect you with the information you need the most:

Our handy parent's guide walks you through preparation for your child's surgery.
For questions concerning insurance, visit Insurance and Billing.
If you have additional questions, please contact your surgical scheduler.

Getting Ready for Your Child's Surgery

Learn about the experience of having surgery at Children's National as told through the voice of a child.

Cómo prepararse para la cirugía de su hijo/a

Este video, proporcionado en español, ayudará a usted y a su familia a prepararse para la cirugía en Children's National. Estamos aquí para ayudarles a comprender la intervención y guiarlos en el proceso.

Ver video

Day of Surgery Fasting Rules

For your child's health and safety during surgery, your child must stop eating or drinking according to the rules below. In general, your child should stop taking:

Clear liquids 1 hour before arrival to the hospital. These include water and clear soda, such as Sprite; popsicles (no pulp, no milk); apple juice (pulp-free); sports drinks, such as Gatorade; or gelatin without fruit, such as Jell-O.
Breast milk 3 hours before arrival to the hospital
Formula or milk 5 hours before arrival to the hospital
All other foods 7 hours before arrival to the hospital

Medications may be taken with a sip of water on the morning of surgery as directed by your physician. Bring a list of medications and the amount that your child takes.

Please note: While we would never advise their use, on the day of surgery patients should not smoke, drink alcohol or use recreational drugs. These can cause your surgery to be unsafe and cancelled.

If eating and drinking guidelines are not followed, your child's surgery will be delayed or cancelled for your child's safety.

To learn how to prepare your child, and his or her siblings, emotionally for surgery, visit Talking to Your Child.

How to Help Prepare Your Child for Surgery

Having surgery can be a frightening experience for a child. The more comfortable and prepared you are for this experience, the more comfortable your child will be. The following are some suggestions on how to prepare your child for surgery.

Infants (0-12 months)

Toddlers (1-3 years)

Toddlers are just beginning to understand the world around them, but they don’t understand time. Plan to prepare your toddler the day before surgery (never at bedtime).
Use simple and short explanations. “We are going to the hospital tomorrow. The doctor is going to fix your boo boo. I will be with you the whole time.”
Toddlers enjoy making choices. For example, have your child choose which stuffed animal to bring and/or which shirt to wear. Having familiar items from home helps your child to feel safe.

Preschoolers (2-5 years)

Plan to prepare your preschool-aged child a few days before his or her procedure. Preschoolers have a better understanding of time and need time to process.
This is the age of “magical thinking” meaning, that they often put things together that may not be connected. For example, they may assume they need to have surgery because they did something “bad.” Encourage your preschooler to talk about their feelings and reassure them the surgery is not connected to their behavior.
Provide honest and simple answers to questions.
Bring familiar comfort items (blanket, stuffed animal) from home.
Have your child visit the hospital for a pre-surgery tour.
Read books with your child about going to the hospital.

School-Age (6-11 years)

School-age children need time to prepare. Plan to begin preparing your school-age child 1-2 weeks prior to surgery.
Ask your child to explain back to you the reason they are having surgery. This will give you an idea of what your child knows and a chance to clear up any misconceptions.
Focus on the benefits of surgery, “After your knee’s fixed you’ll be able to run faster.”
Encourage your child to express their feelings and concerns.
Have your child visit the hospital for a pre-surgery tour.
Read books and “research” going to the hospital.

Teenagers (12-18 years)

Teens appreciate being part of the decision-making process. Involve your teenager early on in the plan.
Be truthful. Teens often become angry if they feel adults are lying to them.
Teenagers need more space than younger children. It’s important to respect their privacy.
Most teenagers have concerns regarding body image and or loss of identity (“How will this procedure change me?”), loss of privacy and disruption of future planned events.

Amenities

Read about our cafeteria, gift shop, laundry facilities and other amenities available during your child's hospitalization.

Services and Amenities