• Knowledgebase: Parenting Questions

    Questions about the managment of common parenting problems such as discipline.

    19. How to tell my child about my operation - Top

    Q: I will be having an operation soon and I would like to know how to tell my children about this? J.H.

    A: Younger children think in concrete terms and when their parents are gone, they see this as permanent. So they should be told what is coming up and how long mother or father will be gone and recovering from surgery. This should be done several times with increased frequency a" the time comes closer.

    Also, children have many reasonable and unreasonable thoughts about hospitals and surgery. It is best to let them communicate theme thoughts so you can discuss the reasonable ones and dispel the unreasonable ones.

    Finally, children should be able to visit you in the hospital if possible and be prepared for any change in appearance or any ancillary equipment or iv tubing.

    - Updated: March 23, 2001

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    • James L Horwitz, MD

    David C. Thomas, MD

    Barbara Lindberg, PNP