Parent Guide
Review important details of what to expect before, during and after surgery and when going home.
Wolfson Children’s Hospital provides technologically advanced surgical care in a kid-friendly setting. From routine tonsillectomies and appendectomies to complex brain surgeries and heart procedures, our pediatric specialists perform nearly 11,000 surgical procedures each year to treat infants, children and adolescents with a wide range of conditions.
When a procedure requiring anesthesia is needed, it's important to bring your child to a place designed specifically for children and staffed by professionals trained to provide health care to kids.
The pediatric surgical specialists at Wolfson Children’s are highly qualified and specialized. Our surgeons and anesthesiologists are board certified and surgical nurses are certified in pediatric advanced life support.
Small bodies need specialized attention. That’s why patients at Wolfson Children’s will have a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist during surgery. For complex heart procedures, we have anesthesiologists with additional expertise in cardiac care.
The anesthesia team also provides acute pain management for post-operative care and works with the palliative care program to help manage pain and make children as comfortable as possible. Additionally, we can block nerves and numb a specific area using ultrasound-guided techniques, which are often more effective and use less medication.
For most surgeries that don’t require an overnight stay, you’ll probably visit an outpatient surgery center at Wolfson Children’s designed with your family in mind. After checking in, you’ll meet your child’s nurse, who will communicate regularly with you. Younger children are sometimes transported in wagons that look like boats rather than wheelchairs. If able after surgery, patients can stay hydrated with cool, slushy drinks. Families spend time in comfortable waiting areas and meet with surgeons in private rooms.
Our commitment to providing exceptional care begins with a family-centered approach that includes close coordination with your child’s primary care physician. This allows for a seamless transition between the hospital and your child's primary care provider's office.
These are some of the outpatient (no overnight stay) and inpatient (admitted to hospital) procedures we perform:
With a 24/7 in-house pediatric trauma team, we provide faster, direct access to specialized care during the critical "golden hour" following a trauma. Treatment at our emergency centers comes with the full range of resources of our nationally recognized children’s hospital. We specialize in kids and we're one of the few award-winning hospitals in the nation with a "peds-only" Burn & Wound program.
We understand the issues that affect children and work to keep your child comfortable and as calm as possible during treatment. Large, deep, or complicated wounds may heal slowly and require irrigation, cleaning, or dressing.
Review important details of what to expect before, during and after surgery and when going home.
Complete this form and bring it with you so we can get to know your child and any special needs.
Kids 3-18 years and their families can take a tour to prepare for the surgical experience, from check-in through recovery. To schedule a pre-operative tour, call Child Life at 904.202.8541