Preparing Your Child for Hernia Surgery: Fasting, Anesthesia and What to Bring

Before your child’s hernia surgery, work through their fasting start times, medicines on the day of surgery, recent health changes, and arrangements for a caregiver and the trip home. Fasting instructions can vary with your child’s age and what they eat or drink. Follow the individual instructions from Damsoyu Hospital rather than applying an online timetable yourself.

Check the fasting instructions for each type of food and drink

Fasting before anesthesia helps reduce the risk of stomach contents entering the lungs. Instructions can vary with your child’s age and the care setting, so ask the surgical and anesthesia teams for your child’s specific plan. Check the instructions separately for breast milk, formula or milk, baby food and regular meals, and water. American Academy of Pediatrics: preparing a child for anesthesia

As well as asking “How many hours should my child fast?”, write down what they may have and the exact time they must stop having it. Family members and other caregivers need the same information to help avoid mistakes. The appointment time and actual operation time may differ, so do not work out the fasting start time yourself by counting back from the appointment.

If your child eats or drinks during the fasting period, note what they had, how much and when, and tell the hospital immediately. The care team will use that information to decide whether surgery can go ahead as planned. If the fasting instructions have not been followed, surgery may need to be postponed for safety. American Academy of Pediatrics: fasting instructions

Tell us about medicines and recent cold symptoms in advance

Prepare a list of regular medicines and supplements, allergies, and previous operations or hospital stays. Follow Damsoyu Hospital’s preoperative guidance by sharing the history of surgery and admission with the care team. Damsoyu Hospital’s appointment and surgery preparation information (in Korean)

Ask the anesthesia team which medicines to give on the day of surgery and how to give them. Do not stop or add medicines on your own. Let us know in advance if your child develops a cold or another illness before surgery. Explain when the cough or fever began and how your child is now; the care team will decide whether surgery can proceed. American Academy of Pediatrics: medicines and health changes before anesthesia

Arrange for a caregiver to attend and prepare for going home

Arrange for a caregiver who knows your child’s medical situation to attend and hear the explanations. When you receive your appointment instructions, check the arrival time, documents and supplies to bring, which parts of the visit the caregiver can attend, and how your child will get home. Ask the hospital directly whether a caregiver may stay with the child before anesthesia or in the recovery room.

Consider comfortable clothes and a small familiar item that helps your child feel calm. Follow the hospital’s instructions about which belongings are allowed. Explain the appointment and recovery in words your child can understand. Write down the caregiver’s questions and ask the care team during the visit.

Check these four points before leaving home

• Fasting: Do you know what your child last ate or drank and at what time?
• Health: Have you reported recent changes such as a cough or fever, and the medicines your child takes?
• The visit: Have you checked the arrival time, documents, caregiver arrangements and transport home?
• Discharge advice: Are you ready to ask about restarting food, medicines, wound care and symptoms that mean you should contact the hospital?

At Damsoyu Hospital, we explain preparation during the surgical consultation. If you have not received the instructions or anything is unclear, contact us again before surgery. Damsoyu Hospital’s appointment and surgery preparation information (in Korean)

If you have questions about preparation, include your child’s age and the planned care in Damsoyu Hospital’s telephone consultation request form (in Korean). If surgery is already scheduled, use the contact route the hospital gave you to obtain the fasting and medicine instructions that apply to your child.