Taking the Fear Out of Childhood Surgery

Taking the Fear Out of Childhood Surgery

Groundbreaking Online Program Coming to Children's Hospital

Hundreds 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.

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 negative post-surgery behaviour including nightmares, separation anxiety, temper tantrums and negative responses to future medical care.

Dr. Mateen Raazi

I-PPP is an interactive and child-friendly program made up of five components. Parents are asked to complete the parent version first and are then able to guide their child through the child version. I-PPP aims to show children what their day will look like when going in for surgery, including a virtual tour of the hospital, and education for families about anesthesia and the induction process.

The study is a joint effort between the University of Regina’s Department of Psychology and the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management. It was funded by Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine.

“Ultimately, parents want to be involved as much as they can,” explained Dr. Kristi Wright, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at the University of Regina. “We want to make sure they are prepared enough, and that they can support their children.”

Dr Kristi Wright

While preoperative preparation programs are not a new concept, having one that is delivered through the internet addresses many drawbacks associated with traditionally delivered programs including time constraints and accessibility for out of town patients. With Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital treating children from across Saskatchewan, serving patients in remote and rural areas is key for the new hospital.

Up to 25% of children will have reactions so serious that they need to be physically restrained in order to safely administer anesthetic.

“Our Foundation is so proud of the incredible work being done by Dr. Wright and Dr. Raazi,” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “With Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital opening this year we are excited about novel patient care programs like this that will soon be an important part of this world-class facility.”