Toddler getting grommets tomorrow!

[beebee82]

I'm just starting to feel extremely nervous about him having the operation, I know its just a minor operation and other mummies will have children with much more serious health needs, but I'm just nervous about my baby having the operation and about watching him being given the anaesthetic...any advice happily received x

Ds has had grommets 3 times (20 months, 3.6yo, and 6yo)

In a lot of ways the 20 months was the easiest because although he was tiny, he didn't know what was going on, so just accepted it.
At 3.6yo he marched into the ward and declared "Mummy is trying to starve me to death, she won't give me any food"
At 6yo he got nervous, so I had to deal with that on top. They did play therapy with him before the op.

For the first two times I did have to hold him down for the gas mask. The third time they challenged him to blow a balloon up and he was so busy doing it he didn't notice the gas.

Things I wished I'd known:

1. You aren't there when they wake. I expected to be, so I'd said "and when you wake up mummy will be there". So they go to sleep in the pre-op room, wake in a totally different room with no one they know.
2. Ds doesn't recover quickly from the anaesthetic. It's fine, just children that went in after him are up trashing the ward and being discharged while he's lying in bed being sick and not even wanting to sit up.
3. Go and get something to eat/drink while they're down. You have about 20 minutes but it's your only chance.
4. His ears hurt when he comes round. Do not say "they're going to make your ears better" because as far as he'd concerned they've made them worse.
5. There may be a bit of blood round the ear you can see. The consultant doesn't need to come and look
6. When he comes round he will have a drip bit in his hand with a bandage round it. The first and second time it really distressed him, and he kept trying to pull it out.
7. They will keep coming round to check blood pressure/temperature/blood oxygen rate. A good sign that they're feeling better is that they don't want to stop playing to have it done. Ds spends usually the first 2-3 hours not caring what they do to him on that front. Once he starts not wanting it he's beginning to recover.

Good luck for tomorrow. My 3 year old had grommets put in when he was 22 months old and he's also had 12 other ops so I consider myself something of an expert these days.

We always have a special bag that we take to hospital with things like his teddy, book etc in. Ds helps me pack it every time and he carries it too. I have a big holdall thing with all the boring stuff in like nappies and his dressing gown. I always add a little surprise in his bag for him to find at the hospital, usually a new book.

Waiting is the worst bit. Bring something for you to do too like tablet, phone or book. Bring at least 2 things in case your toddler is like mine and demands to watch topsy and Tim on the device you brought to entertain yourself.

When they go under they go really floppy in your arms. It's horrible but slightly better if you're expecting it. You can give them a kiss when they are asleep, just ask if the anaesthetist doesn't offer, sometimes they forget. It's usually only 1 parent allowed in the anaesthetic room. If you and his dad are going to be there you might want to decide who is going down to theatre beforehand.

Eat while they are asleep (but draw curtains round the bed space if you are eating on the ward as other children will still be starving)

It's OK to cry, it's a minor op to the staff but it's a big deal to you and your child and all the staff will understand that.

Good luck - been through this at one, two and four. It is very hard the night before but so much better for them than not having the op