Toddler inpatient stay

[muminmanchester]

I’ve just found out that DS(2 years) will be having an inpatient procedure at the start of jan for an ongoing problem with his eyes. He needs the op so I’m not resisting it at all but feeling very apprehensive about what to expect.

Some background - when he was born we spent 2 weeks on this same ward as he needed surgery on his stomach and it was the most horrendous 2 weeks of my life. I know this will be clouding my judgement of the upcoming surgery.

I’m most dreading him being nil by mouth because that was so traumatic last time with a tiny baby. And of course him being put to sleep, I’m worried that he will be scared and I won’t be there to reassure him.

Anyone got any advice on how to approach this? I don’t want him to pick up on my nerves. Also if anyone else has had a toddler inpatient surgery experience, please share your story as I want to be prepared for it.

Thanks in advance

I had to hold my toddler when he was nearly 2 get put to sleep for his adenoids to be removed, he was rather upset screaming and it broke my heart when he suddenly became quiet and his eyes shut and I broke down completely it was horrible experience which I wasn't prepared for I thought i could handle it, I just held him so tight trying to distract him while they put needle in, after the op when he woke up was rather upset but after half an hour he started to settle and just wanted cuddles,

My daughter who is almost two has had two operations (cochlear implants) at Manchester Children's hospital, plus four inpatient stays (ear infections, which can be dangerous with CIs). In all honesty, as you know, it's not fun staying on the ward, but we've found the play rooms to be great, full of toys and the play therapists are lovely. Food isn't great, my daughter wouldn't eat it really, so we took our own food in where we could. Luckily we aren't confined to the ward so we could take her for walks in and out of the hospital when she was in for ear infections. But it's very boring and we spent a lot of time wandering the halls of the ward!

You will be able to be with him in the anesthetic room right until he goes to sleep. My daughter got upset when the mask went on to be put to sleep for her surgeries, but right up to that point the lovely doctors distracted her and it wasn't too bad. And i was with her cuddling her and she knew i was there. Nil by mouth is tricky, we took a lot of brand new toys to distract DD, like sticker books, and she did get a bit grumpy with hunger but was fairly easily distracted.

Good luck

Thank you, I’m relieved that I’ll be able to be with him while he’s put to sleep as I wasn’t allowed last time & a very insensitive nurse later told me that he was screaming the place down.

We’re also at Manchester children’s hospital. Thanks for the food tips. Also good shout on the new toys and things to distract him. I predict we’ll be watching a lot of those bloody kinder egg vids on YouTube which he’s obsessed with and I rarely let him watch!

Can you get a family member to go with him and also be with him when he’s nil by mouth? That’s how I did it - grandma had her because I could take it, I then swooped in after the operation to be the comfort etc

It’s really rough watching your kids go through procedures be kind to yourself too

Rainbow that’s a good idea, I’ll ask my Mum if she can also be there. I’m really hoping he will be high on the list so we don’t have too long to wait.