Children are less adaptable when accidents or injuries happen. The experience can be overwhelming and may also cause them emotional distress. The trips to the hospital may affect their emotional and mental state due to extreme changes in the situation. Plus, they will meet doctors and nurses in an orthopaedic clinic in Singapore. Some are also afraid of needles and other medical equipment. As a parent, you need to be patient when they are showing signs of distress because it is normal. They are kids, after all. And you have to support them with all your understanding.

You have to make them feel understood during a stressful situation, especially when they need to undergo invasive procedures like bunion surgery. It is better to be by their side and ensure that your soothing presence can help your children pass these difficult times. So, continue reading the article to learn how you can prepare kids for hospital visits and consultations.

How to Prepare Your Kids for Orthopaedic Treatment

Going to a hospital can frighten kids because there are many new things in the environment. Meeting doctors and nurses can be overwhelming. Also, undergoing medical treatments can make them feel anxious. They will question their parents if they will be fine or if they can achieve 100% recovery. Of course, it is possible by attending regular treatments. Remember that continuous support from the parents can make a positive impact too.

So, when you need to meet a foot and ankle specialist in Singapore, here are some ways to prepare your kids for this medical journey.

1) Establish Open Communication

As a parent, you need to establish open communication with your child to make them feel you are willing to listen to their problems along the way. Unfortunately, some parents do invalidate their children’s feelings. They would probably say: you are a big girl/boy now, so stop crying. Instead of helping the children, they will only feel less efficient about the whole process. So, parents, it is time to learn how to make your children comfortable communicating with you.

When they feel anxious about meeting an orthopaedic doctor in Singapore, you can give them the advice to make them feel less worried. Tell them everything will be okay and provide them with feasible solutions that can help them overcome their struggles.

2) Give More Information About the Treatment

Of course, you would be the one who is doing the talking with the orthopaedic doctor, and your children will only listen to what you are talking about during the consultation. To lessen their anxieties, give them more information about the treatment so they can be more knowledgeable about what is about to happen. Being sure about a situation will lessen worries, so give your children enough information for better understanding.

Also, give them realistic expectations and let the children know about the possible side effects like limited mobility. With this, you can prepare for possible inconveniences and how to remedy them. You may also prepare your children emotionally and mentally.

3) Learn Some Relaxation Techniques

The worst thing a parent can do is to make the children feel more anxious. Instead of helping them cope with their new situation, you might even make them feel more fearful. If, for instance, your children have to attend a bunion surgery in Singapore, you need to learn some relaxation techniques so they can feel much better before the treatment procedure. Unfornaturely, some parents don’t realise how their words can impact their children.

You can try these relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, bringing stuffed toys, reading a book, listening to music, and using a stress ball. You can try these techniques before the surgery to calm your children’s minds while waiting at the hospital.

4) Prepare the Clothes

In Singapore, orthopaedic surgery can be a long and complicated process. And so, you need to prepare comfortable clothing to make your children feel relaxed during the surgery. Let them wear clothes that are loose and easy to remove. Better yet, ask the orthopaedic doctor about the items of clothing you need to wear for a more efficient operation.

Another essential thing to consider is to bring extra clothes after the surgery so the patient can wear a fresh set of attire before going home.

5) Ask the Time of the Operation

Children can notice if their parents are feeling anxiety or panicking. To avoid this, ask the orthopaedic doctor or foot and ankle specialist about the call time you need to be in the hospital. The parents will know what to do during the treatment day. It is better to arrive at least 30 minutes to rest before the procedure. Or, better yet, you can confide your child a day before for preparation.

As you ask about the time of operation, don’t forget the interval of the overall procedure so you can know how long it will take before the surgery. If it takes hours, you can go home or do other things while waiting for your child.

6) Prepare for Hospital Stays

After the surgery, your doctor might require your children to stay at the hospital for a week or two. It is to ensure that there would be recovery progress after the bunion surgery in Singapore. The doctors might also advise you to look for a massage therapist so the children can walk again with strength and improved mobility. During the hospital stays, bring all the essentials, including toiletries, food, and other personal belongings.

7) Handling the Possible Side Effects

There are days when side effects will kick in and keep your children in pain. When the orthopaedic doctor is out of duty, you can put some remedy in the meantime for sudden relief. Better yet, ask the foot and ankle specialist how to handle such side effects for safer procedures. Otherwise, it would worsen the situation. But, luckily, you can avoid this by following the doctor’s advice.

Remember these tips above to keep your children comfortable and anxiety-free when visiting Specialist Orthopaedic Centre, an orthopaedic clinic in Singapore. So, check their website to learn more about their treatments, like bunion surgery.