Each year at Children’s Hospital of Illinois, children undergo more than 4,000 procedures in the surgical area. We understand the anxiety surgery places on families, particularly when it involves their child. We also realize that you know your child better than anyone and being well prepared for your child’s surgery can make all the difference in his or her experience.

In the days before surgery there are simple steps you can take to help make the surgical experience less stressful and best prepare both you and your child for surgery.

The following will prepare both you and your child before surgery:

Pre-interviewing

Within a week before surgery, a nursing coordinator from our surgery chart office will contact you to ask you questions about your child. Examples of these questions are:

• allergies
• current medications
• height and weight
• previous surgeries

The Week Before Surgery:

Pre-testing

Check with your doctor’s office to see how far in advance you may have pre-testing done. Although healthy children rarely require pre-op testing, we recommend that, you have this pre-testing done as soon as possible.

Pre-registration

Pre-registration takes place through the Admitting Department, (309) 655-2555.  Doing this early can ease tension the day of arrival. This can be done the day of surgery if necessary.

Pre-operative Tour

We strongly recommend attending the pre-operative tour. Tours are open to both the child and family, starting at the fish tank in the Admitting Lobby (Gerlach Building). Tour reservations can be made by calling our Child Life specialist for surgery at (309) 655-5753. The tour is also a good time to pre-register your child for surgery.