General anaesthetic for 2.6yr old - how should I prepare him for it?

[ttalloo]

DS2 is 2.6 yrs, and is having a GA on Wednesday to remove a mole from his wrist.

He understands that a doctor is going to take away his mole while he's sleeping (which he's quite pleased about), but I don't know how much to tell him about what will actually be involved in getting him to sleep, especially with regard to being nil by mouth and having an anaesthetic, because he hates needles and injections.

Would you tell him in advance what to expect? Or is it likely to frighten him? Or should we wait until the day, and deal with it as it happens?

He's very articulate and understands a huge amount, but I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing whether I tell him or not. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

I would start talking to him about what will happen ie. not eating breakfast, going on to a ward, meeting nurses and doctors. that he will be given special medicine to make him sleep.

I would tone down/not mention any mention of needles and injections. The words we normally use are 'magic cream' (the local anaesthetic cream we put on hands) and putting a 'teeny tiny drinking straw' (cannula) into veins to give special medicine.

At that age he might also get a gas induction (ie he breathes gas to go off to sleep. V. much depends on anaesthetist).

There are leaflets specially designed for children here:
www.rcoa.ac.uk/index.asp?PageID=1520

Rees Bear is the most apporpriate for his age.

There might be 'going to hospital' books in your local library too although none of them handle the nitty gritty aspects of anaesthetics very well which is why the leaflets were written.

Oh and your tone will affect how he feels about it more than anything.

If you make needles/ injections/ having a GA sound really bad then he will be scared. If you make it all sound like a big adventure (difficult, I know) then generally it will be treated like that.

I hope it goes well.

There are lots of videos on youtube that are meant to introduce children to the ides of operations (if you search things like 'kids hospital tour' you should find a selection). If you can show this to your son it should help him feel more familiar with hospitals.

If you present the whole experience as a fun day out then that should be how he perceives it. From his point of view nothing bad will happen - he will go to the hospital, nurses will be nice to him and put magic cream on his hands, he will go to a room and sit on your lap and have a cuddle, and then he will wake up and everyone will be nice again, and then he will get a drink and some toast and go home. Whats not to like .

My DD has had operations, and she had a great time. The anxiety was all mine

My DS was 3 1/2 when he had an operation to remove a cyst. As he had never been aware of having a cyst we didn't tell him he was having it removed. we just told him he had to go to the hospital and that the doctor would give him some medicine and that he would have a sleep. With regards to not eating we explained that he couldn't eat before having the medicine, but that we would have a teddy bears picnic in the hospital afterwards which we did! The op was far more stressful for me and DH than for DS. Afterwards he just looked at his stitches in the mirror in a slightly puzzled fashion as if trying to remember how he'd got them! We came home about an hour after the op.

gasman, stealthcat, moajab, thanks very much for your advice. I feel much better about being able to tell him today what to expect tomorrow, and having a better idea of how to do it.

I'll definitely be reading the Rees Bear leaflet to DS2 this evening, and I'll try my best to make the whole experience sound like a big adventure (teddy bears' picnic, magic creams, and his favourite toys and books packed into his trunki). If I get it right DS1 will be clamouring to come too....!

Thanks again.