Special Care For Children

Special Care For Special Needs Adults

Special Care For Children
We give children the extra care they need in an unfamiliar setting. 

Please refer to the Before Your Surgery and Day of Surgery for further tips, as well as the guidelines on this page for children.  Following these instructions may prevent delays or cancellation of the surgery.
  
Drink– Children may have clear liquids up to two hours before their arrival.  This includes water, apple juice, soft drinks, and Kool-Aid. 
NO milk or orange juice.

Food – Children must not eat anything for six hours before their arrival.  Please do not allow them to chew gum, suck on candy or swallow toothpaste before surgery.
 
Parental Care – We require at least one parent or legal guardian to remain in the center during the surgery and recovery.  Please do not bring other young children along. Your child having surgery needs your undivided attention.  We ask the accompanying parents or legal guardian to eat before your arrival even though your child cannot.  All parents are apprehensive concerning their children, especially if they are having surgery.  From the time of arrival until you are reunited with your child post-operatively you will be utilizing lots of nervous energy which your body supplies through adrenalin.  Once everything is over your body stops producing adrenalin. If you have not eaten and provided your body with nourishing energy you will find yourself experiencing a vagal reaction causing you to feel lightheaded and sometimes faint. 

Personal Comforts – Please bring your child’s favorite blanket, stuffed animal or toy for added security. If your child requires a bottle or special drinking cup please bring that with you as well. Give it to the nurse pre-operatively to have for the patient after surgery.

After Surgery – You will be able to be with your child as soon as he/she is awake and medically safe for transfer after recovery.

Special Care For Special Needs Adults
We understand that loved ones who depend upon others for daily living require special attention.  Besides the guidelines in the Before Your Surgery and Day of Surgery, the following tips, will help make care for these adults easier:

Consent – The legal guardian needs to sign the consent for surgery and anesthesia on or before the day of surgery. If the patient is a ward of the state, has a durable Power of Attorney, or is in Foster Care and the legal guardian cannot be in attendance then a copy of the court order designating who is  the legal guardian and a copy of a picture ID must be brought to the facility before phone permission can be obtained.

For Admission from another health care facility – Please bring the patient’s recent health history, medication information, and phone number to contact the attending health care provider.  Be certain to follow the food and drink rules in the Before Your Surgery section.

Personal Attendant – As with other patients, special needs patients require a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult to remain at the center from admission through recovery.  A personal attendant will be required to stay with the patient for 24 hours after discharge.