To ask what happens when toddlers need a little operation?

[Bippitybopityboo]

I know it's not totally AIBU but it's the only place I know there will be someone who knows.

DS fell today and his bottom tooth has gone through the side of this bottom lip it's quite a big hole at the front.
Took him to the MIU who said he'll need an OP at the local hospital in morning. He can't eat after 12 and we have to be there for 7.

What happens once were there and will we be able to stay with him? He's only 22 months. I'm so worried and upset and I'm 38 weeks pregnant so I think that's making me more upset/emotional about the whole thing.
What happenens when he is put to sleep? that's the part I am dreading it's going to be awful

Oh Bipp am so glad you've had lots of good advice and support here, Def agree with the bring yourself snacks and drinks with you, hosp has been sweltering when we've been in with DC. All the very best.

I'd advise packing a small bag with teddy, PJs, nappies, gro-bag etc for him and spare PJs and toothbrush etc for you, just in case they keep you in e.g. if his temp goes up. If he is kept in one parents will stay, usually on a mattress not the floor but depends on hospital.

Snacks and drinks a very good idea. And if there's a coffee shop and the surgery will take a while, go outside and get some fresh air. They have your number and can call you if needed.

dd had an op on her foot when she was 2, they put cream on before doing the anaesthetic, she went out like a light clutching her dolly, when she woke up dolly had a bandaged foot and a sticker for bravery too. She was a bit pale and sick from the anaesthetic for an hour or two then fine. I was in bits though. the op took longer than expected and I was imagining all sorts. The waiting is the worst bit. Try to be matter of fact- if you can treat the whole thing as a matter of course it'll b easier for him. I think often it's often only a GA witha toddler because they can't just numb and stitch someone who can't stay still.

OP I have no advice as I'm currently waiting for a date for my 2.4yro to have a minor op too so I have also read this thread and taken some comfort from all the advice given. I'm really not looking forward to not allowing him any food / drink. Breakfast time will be horrendous.

same a wee treat of cartoons to distract maybe? Hopefully will work, and best to you too.

DD had grommet ops twice. Both times she came round delirious as PP mentioned, and screamed bloody murder for about 45 minutes then suddenly stopped, and had a glass of squash and several bourbon biscuits and then we were allowed to go. Second time round I was prepared for it so knew I just had to get through it, but the first time was pretty hard - nothing I could do seemed to give her any comfort, it was like she didn't know I was there.

Also - different hospitals clearly do it differently but ours tried to give her anaesthetic through a cannula but she wasnt having ANY of it so they said it would have to be a mask. As soon as I took her into theatre she took one look at the machinery and the staff and decided she didn't like the look it one bit and started screaming. I had to restrain her on my lap while she fought to get away and they struggled to hold the mask on her, she was out within seconds, two people lifted her off my lap and a third one led me straight to the door with a firm hand on my shoulders so I couldn't stop or look back, the doors shut and I was back outside wondering WTF had just happened being told to get a coffee and be back in half an hour.

She remembered nothing of it at all - she was role playing with her brother and couldn't remember from going into theatre until all-you-could-eat-biscuit-heaven.

DS had an emergency op for a suspected twisted testicle when he was just over 2 years old. It was horrible as it was so sudden but perhaps better than waiting like you are.

DP sat on the bed with DS in his lap when they wheeled him in (I wanted to but DS2 was only a few weeks old), then cuddled him and held the mask over him for the anaesthetic and they all chatted to him while he went. Then they gave us a pager while we waited and as soon as he was out paged us and we could go onto recovery to be there when he woke up. They encouraged me to snuggle up on the bed with him to wake him up and pushed me with him on the bed to the ward.

He was very hot afterwards and needed to be encouraged to drink, but was absolutely fine.

It was a horrible experience and GA scared me but the staff were great and kept us all feeling comfortable.

Hope it goes well for you

DD broke her arm aged 4 and had to have GA to have it set.
Went into hospital really early in the morning. They showed her her bed and the playroom. While she was playing, a play therapist came in and used some picture cards to show her what would be happening. She also brought in a mask (not attached to anything) and got me to try it on, and then let Dd have a go at putting it on.
Then the anaesthetist came up and chatted to her, introduced himself and said he'd be seeing her soon.
They put some anaesthetic cream on her hand and left her to play for an hour.
Then they asked her to get into her bed and wheeled her down to theatre, she LOVED being in a moving bed. She looked so tiny in it but she thought it was amazing. The play therapist came with us and chatted to her all the way down.
I had to get gowned up, and then they took us into the room next to the theatre. She sat on my lap, sideways across me, with one arm behind my back so neither of us could see the nurse who was trying to put in a cannula. The play therapist stood in front of us and blew bubbles for her to pop. One moment DD was laughing and trying to pop bubbles, the next she'd gone. Didn't even need the mask in the end. That was the worst bit, she quite clearly wasn't just asleep. She was dribbling and her tongue was hanging out. It just felt so wrong leaving her there like that, so vulnerable. But I went back to the parents room in the children's ward, had a cup of tea, read my book. An hour later, they came to get me to say she was being taken to recovery.
I went and sat with her while she came round, and then she was wheeled back in her bed to the ward. When she said she fancied ice cream, they went and got her some. Late afternoon, she was discharged.
She loved the whole experience so much she keeps asking to go back. When I tell her hospital is for poorly people she tells me just how poorly she is....
My thing would be to remember you are there for the day as well. Take stuff for you. If you are the only person there with your child, as I was, leaving your child to go and buy yourself lunch doesn't feel possible. They will be fed. You will probably not be. Tea and coffee if you are lucky but not much more. So make sure you have something to read, and snacks.

ds2 had to go in for a GA when he broke a finger...much nastier break than we thought, he was much older though! 12 or 13!
ANyway they had a Play therapist type person there, she came in first thing and introduced herself and all the stuff in the ward, playstations, dvds, books and nintendos and was there as he went under distracting him with a where's wally book I think

I did think he was probably a little old for her services at that point, and he is very matter of fact and was quite interested in the mechanics of the anaesthetic but I can really see it would be a huge help for a younger child, however he was thrilled to have the playstation to himself when he was finished!

and she was very kind to me too! It is horrid to see them go under.

Just be warned, when they go to sleep they don't look like they're asleep.
The nurses are used to parents crying as you leave, every time it's happened with ds a nurse has had a handful of tissues for me and has given me a hug as we've left the room.

Don’t worry. Your little mite will be fine. We went through exactly the same thing years ago. Our youngest son bit through the vermillion (the pink bit) of his lip in a fall. Being young he will bounce back quickly and before you know it you won’t even see the scar. Our hospitals are well used to performing these operations and dealing with anxious parents. Your part is to do as you are told and on the day just go with the flow.

Yes DS has a cup of milk in a morning every day he is really going to hate us for not giving him it tomorrow. I feel really sad and nervous for him. All I have wanted for the past few days is to go into labour and now I'm really praying she stays put till we can get him all sorted!

Thankyou for all of your replies they have all helped massively and feel a little better prepared for tomorrow!

Just a word of warning try not to listen to the time they tell you it will take.
When dS2 has his grommet op when he was 2 they couldn’t wake him up after the op for about an hour, I was completely freaking out as they had said the he would be in and out in less than an hour and about 2 had gone by!!!
In speaking to MIL it turned out BIL also had taken ages to wake up from GA as well. It evidently runs in family’s as when DS1 has his appendix out he also took an extremely long time to wake up!! I was expecting it that time though so didn’t freak out as much but obviously as it was emergency surgery it was stress full enough!!

When DS had a little op he was also starve from midnight and get there for 7. He had the cream and sticker on his hand from then till after 11:30 when his op was as he was last on the list. Luckily he was very distracted with the toys because that sticker and him being hungry all morning wasn't easy for him, but overall easier than expected. DH took him down and said it was easier than expected too. Then he woke up from the anesthetic. I really wish someone had warned us. He was completely uncontrollable. Screaming like i've never heard before or since and desperately trying to dive away/off the bed constantly like he was was in desperate pain trying to get away from someone sawing his leg off or something. It was absolutely awful. All we could do to keep him from hurting himself diving around in desperation. We just got left not knowing how the hell to help him it was awful. Luckily after about 30 mins he crashed out asleep and when he woke a couple of hours later was absolutely fine, ate and dranks loads then was pretty much back to normal.

He will be so well looked after. DS has had a couple of ops. It's easier when they're younger because they're less aware. It's also easier when It's not emergency surgery at 2am on Christmas day.

When DS had planned day surgery we dropped DD at school, went to the hospital and were all home in time for school pickup. Then had the tricky task of keeping a toddler still. That's your main challenge.

Fingers crossed for you all

Make sure you check with the staff before you tell him what to expect. Sometimes they won't allow the parent in pre-op or recovery and it's very hard for the child if they expect Mum to be there and she's not. You may want to ask if there's a surgical lounge or something where you can wait.

If it's a children's ward the staff should be well versed in children's care. When I was a nursing student the hospital where I had clinical used to bring the little ones back from the OR in a pram (rather than a stretcher) once they were awake. Definitely the IV insertion once he's under is a thing. I've seen it before.

DS might be a little more clingy than usual for the next couple of days and you might see more tantrums. Both are normal responses to stress.

I actually teach children's nursing so you're welcome to PM me if you like. Hope all goes well.

We have 1.5kg babies go for major operations. He'll be fine

However I really wouldn't refer to having a GA as being put to sleep. That is something VERY different

We've been sent home to let his lip heal it's self and if it needs surgery it'll be in a year's time when all healed as it may not be necessary! Thankyou so much for the replies I was so so worried and felt alot better knowing what to expect!

And yeah cheers for that Hoping it's not top trumps, I was a really worried parent last night, very unhelpful. Also the surgeon used the exact same term to me this morning. Fuck off

Brilliant news. Hope it heals beautifully and you get to swerve the "magic milk"

@Hopingnwishing considering you're the only poster commenting on words being used, was it really needed? Christ

Glad you're feeling better this morning OP and hope little one is ok and heals soon

That's a relief for you, good news!

Great news OP.

I did have to laugh at the DD who slapped a PP in the face after coming round!

My DD just opened her eyes, demanded a yoghurt and a banana from the nearest nurse, who duly provided them, and scarfed them down. Given that she had her front tooth removed (she broke it), I was impressed by her dedication to her appetite!