Help for a 3 year old (just) who is getting hospital savvy.

[Wearegoingtobedlehem]

Hi, I am hoping you might be able to help, I am sure plenty of other people have been in this situation- and far worse.
My daughter is due her 4th hospital stay since Christmas tomorrow, and she is telling me she doesn't like drs cause they keep going or her mouth ( combination of ga's with a mask and ng tubes which I suspect in part feels like her mouth). She has also started wetting badly although had been reliable for months. Wrt I have simply put her back in pull ups, rewarded when used the toilet and generally made nothing of it.
Any hints or tips really would be fab please x
Oh and she does get a treat or pressie every time she goes to hospital for a stay.

[MrsMushroom]

God how hard...my niece spent a lot of time in hospital as a toddler and I well remember her annoyance. I remember that she learned quickly that after an op she would be allowed home as soon as she could eat some toast and have a drink.

She used to come round and start asking for toast immediately bless her.

Maybe your DD might like some "secret" knowledge like that to empower her....how long will her stay be for?

[steppemum]

we used to have a hospital dolly. She was a small doll who could close her eyes. We would talk through the hospital stay using dolly as a prop. When dolly goes to sleep (hence need for closing eyes) then doctor makes dd better.
At the hospital the nurses and doctors did everything to dolly first, and dolly had a wrist band too.

This helped a lot. We were fortunate though that post op dd could eat food she hadn't been able eat since last visit, so we could always focus on 'when you wake up you can have some cake'

The hardest part was always the GA, whichever way we did it, once past that it was better.

My daughter was very mumsy and clingy in some ways right up until over a year after her last hospital stay. I am sure it was the emotional fallout (like the bedwetting) I just did lots of cuddles and love and reassurance. Not much else you can do really.

we had to go up to the OOH doctor at the hospital last week, and she wouldn't let us leave until I had found hospital dolly (who she hasn't played with for nearly 2 years)

We focussed on the familiar and the nice - so, play room, and the nice nurse who makes playdough etc etc. when we were talking about it, but never denied the nasty - GA mask.

[Sirzy]

Does the hospital have a play specialist who can help her?

My son is a similar age and thankfully enjoys going to hospital but the play specialists are great with him which I think helps

[steppemum]

yes the play specialists are great. Make sure you ask for them and ask again, as they are not automatic.

[steppemum]

I have to say, I didn't give dd a lot of warning about hospital visits, I find she worried because her sense of time was so poor (because she was little) so 2 days was about it in terms of warning. That also means I had to be careful of what I was saying in her hearing

Hope it goes well for you. When does she go in?

[Wearegoingtobedlehem]

Hi all, thanks for your replies sorry I hadn't replied until now.

Well, we went up on weds with a view to have the tube sited on thurs, and they weren't successful she fought them and refused to swallow to let it down. There were 3 nurses and one consultant hanging off of her in the end, which ultimately I did find upsetting although I am sure I didnt show it to her. ( mind you we were beyond the point of return by then)
So, she is now being booked in for next week to have it sited under general. As much as I then think ah, phew, the tube/ probe will go down- I am also aware that she hates the gas for the ga ( even without a mask being involved) and her recovery is always pretty fraught. To the point that I now realise both times she has had tubes sited under general she has pulled them.
So aside from saying do not leave us without a nurse for the first while of recovery, I don't know what else I can do.
Hubby can't come because of other commitments, so again I am on my own with this.

I am wondering if I should wait elsewhere while the put her under, or would that be grossly unfair on her?

For getting this far x

[HairyMaclary]

Can you ask for a pre op sedative? DS had had numerous ops and although he is now older, just turned 8, he still has a phobia of the gas mask. I now insist on a pre op as he is then very calm for either the anaesthetic put in through a cannula or, if we absolutely have to use it, the gas mask. The first time the anaesthetist was not that happy but once they saw he difference they were ok about it. I have to make a fuss every time we go in, but ti's worth it.