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Tips For Easing Your Child's Fear About An Upcoming Tonsilectomy

If your child's pediatrician has recommended a tonsillectomy for your child to relieve symptoms like obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, recurrent throat infections and ear infections, your child may be frightened about it. You, as mom or dad, should know that tonsillectomies are one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children and it is not life threatening. While any surgery comes with risk, taking steps to prepare your child can help to make the procedure go smoothly and without incident. Follow these tips for soothing your child's fears about having his or her tonsils removed.

You Need To Stay Calm

You need to learn everything you can about the reasons your child needs his or her tonsils removed. Doing so will give you the answers to the questions your child will more than likely start asking you about it. You should always remain calm and positive about the procedure, always acting like it is no big deal. If you are anxious about the surgery, your child will pick up on that emotions and it will directly impact how he or she feels about it as well. By you remaining calm and nonchalant about the surgery, your child will soon adopt the same attitude about it. Relay to your little one that you will be there and everything will be just fine.

Explain About How An Anesthesiologist Will Help

Being open and honest with your child about his or her tonsillectomy is important to dissolve fears about it. One of the greatest fears your child probably has about his or her surgery is the fear of it being painful. Tell your child what an anesthesiologist is and how he or she is a special doctor that protects people from feeling any pain during surgical procedures. If possible, taking your child to meet his or her anesthesiologist is a good idea. Making sure your child knows he or she will not feel any pain during the surgery is extremely important.

Tell Your Child It Is Not His Or Her Fault

Many children think they are sick because they have been bad and are somehow being punished for it. This fear can grow into larger fears about the punishment being greater during surgery, even to the point your child is afraid he or she will die because of it. Taking the time to make sure your child does not feel at fault for being sick in important.

A pediatrician from a clinic like Willow Oak Pediatrics can help you with soothing your child's fears about having his or her tonsil taken out, especially if you have more specific questions about the procedure.


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