Taking the Fear Out of Childhood Surgery Groundbreaking Online Program Coming to Children's Hospital
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undreds of children across Saskatchewan have surgery each year, which can be a stressful event for both children and their parents. But two Saskatchewan researchers are working to combat this stress by creating an innovative new program to help prepare children for surgery. Dr. Kristi Wright and Dr. Mateen Raazi are developing and testing an internet-delivered preoperative preparation program (I-PPP), with the goal to integrate it into Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
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Dr. Raazi and Dr. Wright said using I-PPP can help prevent and reduce anxiety associated with a child’s upcoming surgery; improving the experience for young patients and their families and possibly having a positive effect on surgical outcomes. Research has shown that around 60 percent of children experience anxiety over surgery. Up to 25 percent of children will have reactions so serious that they need to be physically restrained in order to safely administer anesthetic. Extreme stress can also lead to
