A Guide to Preparing for Surgery

Preparing for your child’s surgery can be challenging. The experience affects you, your child and your family.

This guide can help you, whether this is your child’s first surgery or the family has been here before. We will walk you through the process of having surgery or a procedure requiring anesthesia at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.

Pediatric Preoperative Surgical Home Team Cares For Your Child

We provide the latest treatments for children in a compassionate atmosphere. Our Pediatric Perioperative Surgical Home (PPSH) team takes care of children before, during and after surgery.

This highly skilled team is specially trained to care for children and their families, from the preoperative evaluation through leaving the hospital. The PPSH team makes sure your child’s surgical experience is safe, timely and comfortable.

Preparing for Your Child’s Surgery: How to Use This Guide

This guide:

• Helps you prepare for surgery
• Describes what to expect the day of the procedure
• Explains how to reduce pain and discomfort after the procedure

We know you have many questions. We address the most common concerns:

• Read about how to prepare your child and your family in the days leading up to surgery.
• Find out what items to pack for your child’s stay at the hospital.
• See our chart that outlines eating and drinking restrictions for infants and children before surgery.
• Learn about checking in the day of surgery. Find answers to questions about how long you stay with your child before surgery and when you can see him/her after the procedure.
• Read about the types of anesthesia and how our team works together to make sure your child is comfortable.
• Learn about how we help children manage pain after surgery.

Download our surgery handouts:

• Preparing for your Child's Surgery
• Preparación para la cirugía de su hijo

What to Read Next

Learn about preoperative preparation.