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If Your Child Needs Surgery...
When your child’s doctor discusses surgery, he will usually go into specific details about the surgical procedure and recovery. He should also discuss other treatment options and why surgical treatment is the best option. Do not be concerned about asking too many questions at this first opportunity. The more information you have the more comfortable you will be with the treatment course. If, after a full discussion with the surgeon you have further questions, please contact your doctor’s clinical assistant with your concerns. The assistant can often answer questions about the logistics of surgical treatment or will refer the questions to the doctor for more definitive answers. Often, in complex cases, the doctor will be willing to meet with you and other members of the family to review the surgery in more detail. Do not hesitate to ask the doctor or his assistant if you would like to set up a family meeting. It is most important that you and the entire family, including your child, fully understand the plan and the recovery. It is equally important that your expectations are in line with the surgeon’s.
With younger children, it may not be appropriate to give full details of the surgical procedure. We will try to be sensitive to your child’s needs in discussing the treatment. However, we feel that all children, except the very youngest, should understand what is happening to the best of their ability, so that they can be full partners in their care. If you think your child’s age and understanding are an issue, please feel free to discuss it with the doctor.
Remember that children often follow the lead of their parents in terms of their emotions. If you are excessively nervous or anxious, your child is more likely to demonstrate these emotions as well. You are the adult, and must try to be strong as much as possible. Please allow us to help you or your family if you need more resources to stay calm and collected during the surgical process.
Older children can often manage their own pain medicine post-operatively. For younger children, you will often have to decide the best time to give medicine. Do not be afraid to provide medication to your children. The dosing provided has been carefully measured and is appropriate for the child’s age and size. It is very important that you do not allow the child to ‘get behind’ in his or her medication, since it is much harder to catch up with pain than to prevent pain from occurring. If there are any questions or concerns about your child’s medications, please contact your surgeon’s clinical assistant.
Many surgeries will require dressings and other coverage. Your surgeon should provide specific instructions regarding the care of the operative site. It is most important that you follow these instructions as carefully as possible. If there are questions or concerns, please contact us. If you have other needs regarding school or home, please let the doctor know at the time of scheduling the surgery. Often, schools and other institutions can make allowances for surgical recovery, but will always require lead time to set up any specific accommodations. Your doctor will try to anticipate any specific situations in advance, particularly in cases with more involved recovery. In general, please remember that the providers at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic regard the care of your child as a partnership between you as caretakers and us as caregivers. We welcome your input and your concern and look forward to working with you for the health of your child.
Keith P. Mankin, MD