Your child’s post-operative appointment is on:______________________ at______________________ in the ________________________ clinic at ______________________.
Your child will be admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for the first night after surgery. The Pediatric Intensivists (specially trained intensive care doctors) will co-manage your child’s care. Your child will be monitored closely for bleeding. His respiratory and neurologic status will be watched closely. He will have numerous wires that go to monitors that assist us in this observation. IVs allow us to draw blood without a lot of needlesticks.
Pain:
Your child will receive pain medication through the IV for the first 12- 24 hours after surgery. As soon as he is drinking some fluids we will give pain medication by mouth. You will be given a prescription for pain medication to take home with you. Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) can also be used. Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) should not be used in the first 2 weeks after surgery.
Most parents report that their child needed little or no pain medication within 4 or 5 days after surgery. It is not unusual for children to be fussy (but consolable) for up to two weeks after surgery. This fussiness is often due to their routine being off. Young children are often clingy for several weeks after being hospitalized and having surgery.
Appearance
Your child will have a turban type dressing on his head that we will leave in place for 2 days. There will be a drain coming from the incision to keep blood from collecting underneath the scalp. When the amount of drainage decreases we will remove the drain. The scalp incision will be from above one ear to above the other ear in a zig-zag fashion. The stitches will absorb on their own in several weeks.
Your child will most likely develop some facial and eye swelling the day after surgery and this may last several days. Depending on the type of surgery your child has, his eyes may even swell shut for a day or so. We will keep the head of the bed elevated and this will help somewhat. We will ask that you keep the head of his bed elevated at home (something propped under the mattress will work well) for a week, as well.
Care of the incision
You will be shown how to clean the incision of any crusty drainage with ½ strength hydrogen peroxide solution. Bacitracin ointment is then applied to keep the incision from drying out and becoming itchy. This incision care will need to be done at least 2-3 times per day for 2 weeks. If a helmet is being worn we will have you apply a light dressing over the stitches to keep the helmet from rubbing the suture line in the first 2 weeks. You may begin washing your child’s hair 5 days after surgery with a tear-free baby shampoo. You need not be concerned about touching the head. Everything is stitched together very well and the bones are stable.
Diet
Your child will be started on a clear liquid diet and advanced to a regular diet as soon as he is ready for it. If your child is on table foods, please encourage a balanced diet of foods that promote healing such as meats, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, breads and cereals.
Activity
Infants: Protect your infant from falling or bumping his head. Use a bumper pad in the crib and pads around him when he is sitting.
Toddlers and preschoolers: Your child should not climb, ride tricycles, roller skate, run, or jump on trampolines for three months after surgery.
School age: Your child should not participate in contact sports and activities such as climbing, trampoline jumping, and skateboarding/roller skating/ rollerblading for three months after surgery. Your child can attend gym class as long as the above activities are restricted.
Your child should not attend school or day care for 10 days after surgery.
Helmet
A helmet will be ordered for your child. It should be worn as directed for 3 months after surgery to protect your child’s head. It should be worn while in the car, playing with other children and at any time your child is a risk for hurting his head.
Call your child’s plastic surgeon or nurse practitioner if:
- your child has a fever over 100.4°F (38°C).
- your child has increased swelling or redness around the incision.
- your child has drainage (other than minimal blood) from the incision.
- your child is inconsolable, has excessive crying, or is unable to sleep or drink.
- you have any other questions or concerns.
You may reach the Plastic Surgeon or Plastic Surgery Nurse Practitioner by calling:
(816) 234-1625 during the day Monday through Friday
OR
(816) 234-3000 after hours and on the weekend
You may reach the Children’s Mercy Hospital Plastic Surgery Clinic at (816) 234-3020 and the Children’s Mercy South Plastic Surgery Clinic at (913) 696-8220.
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CMH-99-174
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Content Expires on 12/31/2009
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Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
Kansas City,Missouri Overland Park,Kansas
Care cards are provided as a public education service. The information does not replace instructions your physician gives you. If you have questions about your child's care, please call your physician.
Estas instruccions son provistas como un servicio educacional. La information no sustituye las instrucciones de su medico. Si tiene preguntas encuanto al duidado de su niño, por favor llame a su medico.