Before your child's hospital stay

At Parkside Hospital, our primary aim is to ensure that your child’s surgery is straightforward and that their recovery is as quick and comfortable as possible.

All children staying at Parkside Hospital are cared for by a Registered Nurse with experience in the care of children.

There are lots of things to think about, lots of questions about what will happen on the day and what you can bring with you for your child’s admission. We hope that the following information will help equip both you and your child with all the relevant information needed for your admission.

Preparing Your Child for Admission

The prospect of coming into the hospital for an operation or procedure can be frightening for both you and your child. However, there are many ways to ease these anxieties, primarily by explaining to your child what they should expect, and why the operation is taking place. It is important that you remain calm and do not allow your child to see your anxiety. Emphasise the fact that you will be staying with them throughout.

We encourage parents to bring their child to Parkside Hospital the week before their operation to meet the nursing staff and become familiar with the hospital, to ease anxiety. If you wish to arrange an appointment to visit please call the admissions office on 020 8971 8012.

Pre-operative instructions

In order for the anaesthetic to work properly and safely, your child must have finished eating 5 hours before their admission time.

This INCLUDES MILK. They must have finished drinking CLEAR FLUIDS i.e. water and weak squash one hour before their admission time.

What To Bring To Hospital

It is vital that you bring with you any medication, in their original containers, that your child takes on a regular basis, e.g. inhalers, any creams or homoeopathic medication, and your child’s health record if applicable.

To ensure that your child’s hospital experience is as comfortable and stress-free as possible, you may want to bring some of the following with you:

  • Favourite toy or comforter. This can be taken to theatre with your child so when he/she wakes up they have something familiar with them.
  • A dressing gown and/or slippers to wear over the gown that is provided for your child to wear for his/her operation.
  • Pyjamas/nightclothes-although your child will be required to wear a gown for the operation, they may wish to change into something more comfortable afterwards.
  • DVD player, I-Pad/tablet, favourite books and toys.
  • Food will be provided for your child and one parent/carer during their admission, but please feel free to bring any favourite snacks with you if you wish. But please check with your nurse before giving your child anything to eat after the procedure.

A parent must be present at all times when a child under 12 is in an inpatient/day case area. Please note we cannot be responsible for siblings.

Consent

The 1989 “Children’s Act” states that a child has the right to be consulted in making important decisions and that age of consent relates to the understanding your child has regarding the procedure.

The team will discuss the following with you, and (if appropriate) your child:

  • Why the treatment is necessary
  • What it will involve
  • The benefits of the procedure
  • Any alternatives
  • The risks of the operation/ procedure
  • The effects of not having the operation/procedure

At Parkside Hospital, we encourage all parents and children to be involved in any decisions regarding the care to be received.

As a parent you will be asked to sign a Consent Form, there is also space for children to sign, which can be important to a child by making them feel more involved in the decision. If a child is old enough (i.e. 16 years and over) their consent must always be sought.