Surgery Advice

i would think if it was just a fluid sack they could drain with needle. My son when he was 4 had tonsils & addnoids out. I had brought a stuffed animal he loved with him. i believe best just to tell him they are fixing a boo-boo too much information may scare him. Also see if the dr's will take a pic of him before he gets put under . My son loves his pic he got of him in the gown & cap they put him in.
good luck & hope everything goes well

C.,
This really isn't a response for preparation, but more of curiosity, How long has you son had the hydrocele? My oldest had it to when he was just under a year old. They said he would have to have surgery too. I asked if it was an issue if the surgery wasn't performed to see what time would do. The docs said that it isn't harmful and as long as it doesn't hurt, my son's didn't hurt, than it could be left to see what happened.
It took a while, about 8 months, but it finally went away on it's own. We avoided the surgery and the doc said that eventually the liquid does just disolve back into the system.
What I'm saying is please make sure that surgery is NECCESSARY. The doc I had in albany said as long as it isn't painful, then they usually go away on their own. The reason they always suggest surgery is becuase the parents mostly are the ones who get freaked out by a golfball-sized lump in a boys private area. Just be careful and ASK if it COULD eventually disolve back into his system. waiting 8 months was a whole lot better than putting my son through surgery he DIDN'T NEED.
M.*

Hi C.

I have 3 boys and my middle child has had 3 surgeries and he is only 4. I think its harder on us then them! I don't make a big to do, just tell them. Then when the time comes smile and tell them love them, turn around and walk. I don't want to give them the impression anything is wrong so I act like nothing at all is different. He has had pyloric stenosis surgery (5wks) he had left hernia (3 yrs) (in and out procedure) and ear, nose throat (over night) the in and out procedure for his hernia was very fast recovery he acted great hrs after the surgery. I don't know how your hospital does recovery but his hernia surgery was at a diff hospital then the other two, this hospital us be with him coming out of anesthesia which is hard, everyone comes out diff and with children they usually come out hard, meaning crying, screaming and throwing arms and legs. I would recommend checking into that because we were quite surprised and upset to see our child go through this. I believe its best to be called after they come out of it. My oldest son is 13 and he has a hydrocele himself, he wasnt referred for surgery though?

Hi My son had the same thing done but he was older (10). If its the exact same thing - what got him over the fright was to keep saying "no the incision will Not be in your testicles" (because of course that's where the doctor had been examining him). If you are married (I'm a single mother) agree to let your husband handle a lot of the recovery. Your son may be embarressed to have his mom checking him there everyday and they can get some male bonding women never understand these things time in. The recovery wasnt bad - except that the bandages were so stuck to his skin that I actually took skin off the first time I changed the dressing, so be careful there.
good luck
D.

My son had that done when he was a bit younger than your son, but he also had surgery for an uncescended testicle and Hernia at the same time. I wouldn't make too much fuss about the whole thing too far in advance of the procedure. Just let him know that he will be going to the hospital where he will see a lot of kids. Then let him know that a doctor is going to take him into a special room and make him sleepy and when he wakes up, you will be right there. I think the less anxiety the better!

My daughter turned 2 in July. The day after her birthday she had tubes put in her ears. In October, she had to have a cyst removed from her belly button. Both surgeries were day surgeries and she was put under for both. She doesn't really remember the tubes, however she does remember the belly button. With her, it was very important to tell her the truth: that the Dr was going to help her to go to sleep and they were going to make her belly button pretty. She brought a teddy bear with her that they put a hat on and a band-aid on the bear's belly button aslo. She did fine going in, but woke up really crabby and fussy (just to be prepared) and yelled at everyone. The nurses said it was a normal reaction for a child, and we tried to hold her and love her. She bounced back within hours.

My daughter had to have an upper and lower GI at 2 1/2. I honestly just told her she was going to see the doctor. They usually give them something which they call happy juice it sedates the child and makes the seperation much easier for them. When they took my daughter in for the procedure I was a mess and she was so out of it she was kissing everyone that walked by. So the whole expierence was alot worst for me then her and today at 3 she remembers nothing. I also had a present she wanted when she got out to make things a bit better

I am a nursing student and we were taught to do things such as a tour of where he will be going to so it does not seem unfamiliar, letting him play w/ some of the equipment that will be used, tell him the truth about what is going on, and just let him know that you will be there for him. Good luck

My son had open heart surgery at birth and basically lives at the drs office. He will be needing another procedure shortly (he is 3 1/2 yrs old). After speaking with drs / research, I was told and in turn found this info on the Columbia Pres Hospital in Manhattan website to prep pre-schoolers for surgery:
Most children fear the unknown
-visit the hospital beforehand if possible
-tell them the truth in simple terms of what is going to happen
-dramatic play (puppets, dolls, books drawings, role playing)
-let him pack his own suitcase
-reassure him you will be with him and BE with him

Best of luck to you all!

I just kinda went through the samething with my son a few days ago. When my son was born I didn't have him circumsized cuz the drs told me not very many people do it its not needed, yada yada yada, well I just had it done last week 3 yrs later. I should have done it then but now its done..anyways, i prepared my son by telling him thats his'peterbug' wasn't going to hurt anymore an he would be more clean this way. My son loves taking bathes so he knew what that meant. Of course he didn't like the dr touching him but he got over it. When I took him to the hospital to prep for surgery..he was scared. So my mom and myself were telling him he was going into a big play room and he will have lots of fun. When they prep him for surgery they will give him this medicine they they say it will make him feel drunk. they are not kidding when they say that. My son had to be completely under for his surgery.. So if your son has to go completely under then they should do the samething they did for my son, once he takes that drink he will be and feel completely loopy. you will have to hold on to him and not let go. he will be just like you and I if we were drunk off of our butts. it sounds bad but thats what my son did. and then when he comes out hell be sore but give him a week and hell be good as new. just cuddle him and love on him hell be alright. My son had his checkup today and his stitches are falling out all by themselves just like there suppose to be. And his "peter bug" is healing nicely.

I hope I helped

hi C. i just want to start out with god bless you and your son he will make it out just fine. i have a 6 year old boy who was born right on his due date but yeat when they went to circumsize him they found out that he had a bit of an issue he was born in watertown and after sending him to syracuse by ambulance with an oxygen tent IV'S and a specialist team we soon found out he had only a half a heart he has undergone three open heart surgeries his last being this past august 06 and he was up and raring to go witin two weeks he never complained of anything but the breathing tube and one of the IV's bothered him a bit more just knowing it is there than anything and the way we figured out how to get him to understand it would be ok is telling him the whole truth and i know that it sounds wrong to tell a lil guy that he is going to have his chest cut open and they were going to work on his heart but ill tell you we are firm believers if you lie to your child you will eventually have to find a way out of that lie because as we all know children remember all that we dont want them to lol. so i would tell him that ther is something broken and the doctors need to go in and fix it and explain to him that he will be as big and strong as whomever it is in your family that as a male he looks up to like his daddy or poppa or uncle or brother and make it a contest it works really. and i again wish you all the luck there is and after you will realise that they are our strength and yet they are only as strong as we are. GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Ask to speak with the Child Life Specialist at the hospital you will be using. They are trained to prepare kids for surgery without scaring them. Also go to the library and look for hospital books. I know they have a least one Sesame Street Goes to the Hospital book. As far as the surgery goes, my son had the surgery for the same thing when he was 3 months old. He did fine and had no recovery issues.he didn't even need Tylenol past the first day! He did stay overnight due to his age & having the anesthesia. He has just the teeniest scar that you have to look for to see. Good luck & let us know how it goes!

Hi,
We are working on same thing for my other son for adenoid tonsil surgery. You can make a picture story using his name and just describing exactly what is going to happen in the story (without too much detail) so he will understand. You can also ask hospital if he can tour before he goes in. Also my oldest son had hydrocele surgery. He was much younger (toddler) but it is very simple. They premedicate before child even goes in for anesthesia, and recovery may be a bit harder because he is older, but i dont remember much of a physical problem with it. The pre medication, is great and they usually forget much of what happened anyway