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Know Before You Go

Preparing for surgery before you arrive

Foods and medicines

It is very important that you follow these instructions carefully to help ensure your child’s safety. If a child has solid food in his stomach at the time they receives anesthesia, there is a chance they could vomit and choke. Milk curdles in the stomach and acts as a solid food.

Stop all solid foods eight hours prior to your arrival time. Stop all non-human milk (cow's milk, almond milk, soy milk, and formula) six hours prior to your arrival time.

 Please be sure to watch your child closely to avoid the possibility of your child eating something accidently.

Breast Milk: Breast milk is allowed up to four hours prior to your arrival time.

• Clear Liquids: Water, sugar water, apple juice, or Pedialyte® are allowed up to two hours prior to your arrival time. No red or purple Pedialyte.
• Please be mindful not to drink in front of your child. Some children may not understand they cannot eat or drink when you do.
• Do not give your child any herbal medicines or vitamins. Give your child ONLY the medicines your doctor tells you to give the morning of the surgery.
• If your child uses nebulized breathing treatments at home it is recommended to give your child a breathing treatment the morning of surgery prior to arrival time. 

Bathing

To help prevent infections, make sure to bathe your child thoroughly the night before surgery, using your doctor’s instructions. Our team performs a “pre-op wipe down bath” for patients before certain procedures in order reduce the risk of infection. Please let your pre-op nurse know if your child has sensitive skin or a skin condition such as eczema prior to the "pre-op wipe down."

Clothing

If your child is having outpatient surgery, please dress them or her in loose-fitting, comfortable clothes (especially if receiving a cast or other hardware). We recommend sweatpants or pants with an elasticized waist for patients undergoing surgery on the abdomen or groin area and button-up shirts for patients having surgery on the eyes, nose, ears or mouth. We will ask you to change your child into a hospital gown prior to their surgery. We will provide you with a bag for their personal belongings.

Glasses, hearing aids, contact lenses, hairpins, and combs need to be removed prior to surgery. Jewelry and piercings should also be removed prior to surgery in order to prevent unintended injury. Please expect to remove anything metal unless there is a religious or cultural reason to leave on. In this instance, please communicate to your medical team so that we can accommodate if possible. Children’s of Mississippi will not be responsible for storing or securing these items.

Children should not wear make-up, fingernail polish, or lotion to the hospital.

What to bring 

Having your own things with you will help to make your child’s stay more comfortable. Below is a list of items you may want to bring.

• comfort items such as favorite toy, blanket, pacifier, stuffed animal, etc.
• gaming electronic tablet (Public Wifi is available for use)
• extra pair of underwear
• extra pair of play clothes/pajamas
• socks
• shoes
• toothbrush
• hairbrush
• child’s favorite bottle or sippy cup for AFTER your child’s surgery
• any special medical equipment your child uses at home (CPAP machine, trach go bag, g-tube hookups, at-home oxygen tanks, etc.)
• special formula your baby takes or expressed breast milk

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What to expect on the day of surgery

The morning of surgery

The Children's of Mississippi Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower is located at 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216. Visitors may park in parking Garage C located adjacent to Sanderson Tower. On the day of your child’s surgery, you may bring in your parking ticket with you so that it may be validated for free parking. We will validate parking tickets for the patient’s parents/guardians for the actual day of the surgery. 

On the morning of surgery, we ask that you arrive at the time your surgeon instructed for check in. You may check in at the front desk on Level G (ground floor) of the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower, where you will register. 

After completing registration, you will be directed to the surgery or procedure waiting area on Level 1 or Level B for the next steps of the check-in process.

Sometimes, there are situations that arise where your child’s surgery may have to be cancelled. If you have to cancel your child’s surgery, please notify your surgeon. It is very important that you notify your surgeon of any new illness, cold, sore throat, fever, or changes in your child’s condition.

During surgery

We ask that at least one caregiver remain in the designated waiting area at all times while the patient is in our care.

Out of consideration for those who are unable to eat or drink prior to surgery, family members and visitors are not allowed to eat or drink in waiting rooms. There is a specific hallway near the waiting room where families are able to eat and drink.

Outpatient discharge

A parent or guardian must accompany a child home after outpatient surgery.

Overnight stay (hospital admission)

Some children may require a hospitalization stay after their surgery. If that is the case for you and your child, after your child recovers from surgery, your child’s recovery room nurse will escort you and your child to your own private room on the inpatient unit.