Our mission is to provide the highest quality of healthcare to your child. Increasing communication and the involvement of parents as a part of the team at Dell Children’s makes the job of supporting children and families easier during times of a stressful healthcare experience.
Pre-operative Tour
The Pre-operative Tour is a hands-on teaching program for children and their families who are scheduled for surgery or for a procedure with sedation at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
All families are encouraged to attend this program which helps promote an understanding of surgery and medical procedures. Research has shown preparing children can reduce stress and increase their ability to cope.
A Child Life Specialist will introduce the medical equipment children may see on the day of their surgery or procedure using age-appropriate language, sensory information and will explain the sequence of events for surgery. The group will then tour the waiting room, check-in area, operating room, and recovery room. (Touring these areas depends on the availability of these rooms.) Brothers and sisters are welcome to attend because a hospital visit can affect the whole family.
For tour dates and times and to make a reservation, please call the Surgery Child Life Specialist at 324-0146.
Suggestions for Parents to Consider Before Your Child Has a Planned Surgery or Hospitalization
- Ask your physician and staff at the hospital questions so that you and your child will know what to expect.
- Be Honest! Telling your child the truth about what will happen and how things will feel will let them know what to expect. Be sure to use simple explanations suitable for your child’s development.
- Listen to your child’s questions and talk about them. If you don’t know the answer, write the question down to ask later.
- Allow your child to explore with real or pretend medical equipment on stuffed animals or dolls before going to the hospital and when he/she comes home. This helps your child to express their feelings and feel more in control.
- Read Curious George Goes to the Hospital or other stories about health care experiences.
- Let your child pack special things to take to the hospital. He/she can pack pictures of your family, books, videos toys, comfort items (stuffed animal, blanket, or pillow), schoolwork, or even favorite pajamas or clothes to wear home.