Pediatric Surgery Information

Pediatric-trained anesthesiologists and surgeons handle children’s outpatient (Day Surgery) and inpatient procedures at Lake Forest Hospital. Parents are invited to be with their children during sedation and can be at their bedside during the recovery process.

Registration—To shorten the registration process, please call our pre-registration department at (847) 535-6195. If prompted, please leave a message and a registrar will call you back to complete the pre-registration process. If you are not pre-registered, we ask that you and your child arrive 15 minutes before your procedure to be registered on the day of your service.

Insurance Coverage—Many insurance plans now require pre-admission review or second opinions; therefore, it is very important for you to contact your carrier about your child’s surgery to ensure coverage. If insurance carriers are not notified promptly, the surgery may be cancelled. If you are unable to pay the full deposit, financial arrangements should be made with the insurance liaisons before admission. Please call (847) 535-6044 to discuss this matter.

DAY OF SURGERY

Remember to bring a stuffed animal or favorite blanket to help ease your child’s anxiety, a special bottle or sippy cup, history and physical form if given to you by your pediatrician, any inhalers your child is currently using and any food or liquids your child may eat or drink prior to surgery.

Arrival at the hospital—Please park in the visitor’s parking lot in front of the main entrance. You may proceed directly to the Registration Department to check in. Your check-in time is scheduled to allow adequate time to prepare your child for surgery.

Checking In—At check-in, you will be asked to sign registration and insurance forms, and you and your child will be escorted to the Pediatric Day Surgery unit. Your nurse will prepare your child for surgery, place an intravenous line and answer any questions you may have. Only two visitors are allowed in your child’s room at a time. Other family members may wait in the waiting room.

Addressing your child’s anxiety—Lake Forest Hospital understands a child’s fear of the unknown and the anxiety a child may experience when separated from their parents at the time of surgery. In order to help alleviate the anxiety these fears can cause, the following measures are available:

• Oral Sedation—An oral medication can be given to your child on your arrival to the Pediatric Day Surgery Unit to alleviate your child’s anxiety.
• Parents Present in Surgery—Lake Forest Hospital has been a pioneer in allowing parents to be present and provide reassurance and support while your child (age 11 and under) is helped to sleep by the anesthesiologist.

After Surgery Recovery—Following surgery, your child will be observed in our Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) formally known as the Recovery Room, where the nursing staff continually monitors your child as the anesthetic wears off. The surgeon will let you know as soon as the surgery is completed and you will be reunited with your child as soon as his or her condition permits. Following the appropriate recovery time, you and your child will be returned to the Pediatric Day Surgery unit to be discharged or taken to an inpatient room if you are staying overnight.

Managing your child’s pain—The staff at Lake Forest Hospital understands that children feel pain as much as adults, and we are proactive in preventing and managing it. Unless otherwise dictated, your child will receive Tylenol before surgery to lessen post-surgical discomfort. After surgery, your child is assessed frequently for the presence of any pain and medicated if needed.

Discharge—As soon as your child’s condition is stable, you will be given written instructions for your child’s care at home. These instructions include recommended activities and foods, as well as those to avoid. Your child’s physician may also provide a prescription for medication.
Unless your child’s physician instructs you otherwise, your child may resume a normal diet following surgery. It is wise to increase your child’s fluid intake while they take pain medication to help avoid constipation.

If your child experiences nausea or vomiting after being discharged, contact your child’s physician.