Watch

How to Talk to Your Child About Surgery

Honest, age-appropriate explanations can help children understand their upcoming surgery and feel more comfortable with what to expect.

Parent, child, and doctor in office

Hanna Gilroy, MS, CCLS

  • Parents may feel unsure about how to explain surgery to their child and what information to share.
  • Honest, simple explanations can help children understand what to expect without overwhelming them.
  • Explaining what part of the body is being treated and how the procedure will help can make surgery easier for children to understand.
  • For younger children, focus on simple explanations and what they will experience rather than detailed medical information.
  • Older children may benefit from more medical terminology and opportunities to ask questions about their procedure.

Topics

You may also like

Keep exploring
Keep exploring

A System of Pediatric Care

As a dedicated pediatric health system that includes New Hampshire's only children's hospital, we have the widest breadth of pediatric services available in the region.