Patient Information: Surgery In Children
Information for parents & families
Below is a selection of helpful resources, including links to information leaflets designed to support you in caring for your child before, during, and after a hospital stay.
You’ll also find leaflets explaining common reasons why children may need surgery, as well as guidance on recognising when to seek medical help and tips for maintaining your child’s health.

Sometimes doctors and nurses use
big words which are hard to understand.
Click the boxes below to find out what these words mean.
Urology
Urology is about the parts of your body that help you wee.
That means doctors and nurses who work in urology help with:
- Your kidneys (they clean your blood and make wee),
- Your bladder (where wee is stored),
- And the little tubes that carry wee out of your body.
If something isn’t working quite right — like if it hurts to wee, or you need to wee a lot, or can’t go at all — the urology team helps figure out what’s going on and how to make it better.
ENT
ENT stands for Ear, Nose, and Throat
That’s the team of doctors and nurses who help look after:
- Your ears (for hearing and balance),
- Your nose (for breathing and smelling),
- Your throat (for talking, swallowing, and singing!).
If you have a sore throat, a blocked nose, or your ears feel funny — the ENT team is there to help you feel better!
Orthopaedic
Orthopaedics helps take care of your bones and joints
Orthopaedic doctors and nurses help when:
- You break a bone (like an arm or leg),
- Your joints (like knees or hips) hurt or don’t move properly,
- Or if your bones grow in a special way that needs some extra help.
They make sure your body can move, play, and grow strong!
General Surgery
General surgery means helping people get better with operations
General surgeons are doctors who fix multiple parts of the body:
They help with things like:
- Tummy aches that need fixing (like appendicitis),
- Lumps or bumps that need to come out,
- If you have problems pooing or breaking down food.
They work with a special team and sometimes use tiny tools and cameras to do the surgery safely while you’re fast asleep.
Pre and Post op
Before and After Your Operation
Pre-op (Before Surgery):
This is when you come to the hospital before your operation.
You will meet some friendly nurses and doctors who will:
- Check how you’re feeling,
- Explain what’s going to happen,
- Help you get ready (like changing into special clothes & putting on magic cream),
- And answer all your questions!
You’ll go to sleep with special sleepy medicine so you don’t feel anything during the operation.
Post-op (After Surgery):
This is when you wake up after your operation.
You’ll be in a cosy bed, and nurses will check on you to make sure you feel okay.
- You might feel a bit sleepy or sore — that’s normal!
- You can rest, have a cuddle, or watch TV
- Soon you’ll be feeling better and ready to go home or back to your ward.
Help and Information
How to support my child before, during and after a hospital visit.
Title | Link |
---|---|
Caring for someone recovering from a general anaesthetic or sedation | |
Your child’s general anaesthetic | |
General Anaesthesia: A guide for young people | |
Common Risks & Events | |
Dennis has an anaesthetic | |
Rees Bear has an Anaesthetic | |
Medicine Management for Children | |
Discharge Questions for Parents to ask |
Urology advice
General Surgery Advice
Title | Link |
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There are also lots of organisations who have produced information to help patients and families who will need multiple surgeries in their lifetime. These organisations include;