Customer Reviews

The "O, MY" in Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy: how to prepare your child for surgery, a parent's manual

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From the moment a parent hears the word "surgery" there is instant panic! When my ENT gave me the news that my son's adenoids and tonsils had to be removed, I kept picturing the worst and literally started losing sleep. I was only able to find one book on the subject, Goodbye Tonsils, which was excellent and helped to prepare my child. However, I needed to know what to expect as a parent and this book was the answer to my prayers.

The book starts to prepare parents and children 1 to 2 months BEFORE the surgery. The book gives detailed information on what to expect and then breaks the information down and translates it to a language that kids can understand. The day of the surgery, my son was so prepared and unafraid that he actually started recalling parts of the book and said them aloud, "this is where we change into different clothes, right?" Doctors and nurses alike kept telling us how calm and prepared my son seemed. Even the anesthesiologist commented when my son called the mask the "astronaut's mask".

I also loved the advice to tour the hospital before the surgery. It was great advice because the staff went out of their way to make my child feel comfortable. I always believed that preparation eases anxiety and this book is the perfect example.

This book is the only one & best one any parent will need to prepare their little one for surgery. It's good for the adult to read alone first & then decide what to share with their child. It gave me the appropriate language how to talk to a 3 year old & explain what to expect at the hospital. It walks you through step by step. The best recommendation is the one about visiting the hospital ahead of time. It helped my daughter have much less anxiety about her tonsils & adenoids surgery & she knew what to expect & so did we as parents.

REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker, reviewer with Stories for Children Magazine



Did you know that tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies (T&As) account for the second most common surgical procedure performed on children in the United States and that they account for one-third of all surgeries performed under general anesthesia in the U.S.? Thus, if you are a parent of young children, there is a great possibility that your child may need to have a T&A. Based on her own experience with her son Jordan's T&A, author Laurie Zelinger, a school psychologist and a private practice licensed psychologist, offers this manual to help both parents and children navigate the necessary preparation for these common surgical procedures. This preparation is divided into four phases: Phase 1 is "Introducing the Topic to Your Child," which occurs one to two months before surgery. Phase 2 is "Tackling the Subject," which explains what to tell the child three to four weeks before surgery. Phase 3 is "Getting Closer, Getting Ready," with one to two weeks to go. And phase 4 is "The Day of Surgery--It's Here!" and describes what will follow in the recovery.

Neither of our sons have had a T&A, but when our older, eighteen-year-old son, Mark, was five, he had to undergo a year-long series of four surgeries to correct a problem with his left ear. Consequently, my wife and I are well-aware of the need for young children to be properly prepared for such operations. Zelinger notes, "If you do not have the luxury of several weeks of preparation, read through this manual in its entirety and select those recommendations that are practical for your lifestyle and time frame, condensing and accelerating the suggestions to fit your schedule." Also, while the book specifically deals with T&As, the author says that "her time lines may also be used as a guide for children undergoing other hospital procedures." The "O, MY" in TonsillectOMY & AdenoidectOMY, which is Book #3 in the "Growing with Love" series from Loving Healing Press, is a great resource for any parents who have a child facing a surgical procedure to help prepare both the child and themselves for it.