How am I going to be Nil by Mouth

[visavis]

Title says it all really. My DS has to have an adenoidectomy soon as a day case, but it is done under general anaesthetic which means he will have to be nil by mouth. DS is three and I don't think he will understand that he wont be able to eat and drink when he gets up in the morning - any suggestions?

Sorry - title should have said how am I going to "do" nil by mouth!! Otherwise it doesn't make sense!!

If you double check with hosp it might be from 4am. You could always wake him for a light bite then if your brave. It might just take the edge off his hunger in the morning. He might also be allowed fluids till 6 you could wake him for an early smoothie or something.

Its only for 6 hours beforehand. So make sure he is well fed the night before or early breakfast.

Then you just have to ride it out. Distraction with toys and books or whatever comes to hand.
He'll be fine. Its more traumatic for you in the pre op period.

Ds had grommets in last Easter at 3yo. I explained the night before that he wouldn't be able to eat. I then checked round the lounge that no food/drinks had been left out, and put a stairgate on the door to the dining room and kitchen so he couldn't get at food without me knowing.
I chose not to wake at 4am, on the likeihood that he would be difficult to get back to sleep so he'd then be tired AND hungry. His op was at (I think 2pm).
In the morning he asked shortly after getting up if he could have breakfast, so I explained again that he couldn't until after he's had the op. I think he asked once more, just before we set of to the hospital at 11.
Once at the hospital he didn't ask again as there was plenty to distract him. But he did tell the anathetist and the nurse that "mummy is starving me to death"
When he was allowed to eat he made up for lost time.
It was a lot easier than I expected, although it was even easier when he had the first set of grommets at 20 months, when he didn't seem to notice he wasn't fed at all.

I wouldn't worry about it to much. DS who is 21 months had an op last week and I was worried about the nil by mouth and it wasn't an issue at all thankfully.

We had to be at the hospital early so there was no time to get into the normal morning routine of breakfast and a drink which he normally asks for straight away. The day unit we were on was very strict on no food or drink in the waiting area so he didn't come into contact with food until after his op and he didn't ask for anything at any point.

They also tend to do the children in age order (unless they have diabetic etc) so you hopefully wont have to wait to long - we had to be at Alder Hey for 8 and he was in theatre by 9.15.