After surgery
Hospital recovery
After surgery, your child will be taken to the hospital’s recovery area. This area may be different depending on the type of surgery admission and the hospital.
When your child first arrives in recovery, they may still be waking up from the anaesthetic and will need close monitoring and care by a specialist recovery nurse.
Your child will stay in the hospital recovery area for 30 to 60 minutes before moving to another part of the hospital or discharged.
Seeing your child in recovery
When your child is more awake, you will be contacted and taken to see them.
The number of visitors in the recovery area depend on the hospital and surgery admission type.
Some children wake distressed even if they were calm before surgery. This is more common in younger children, those who have had several procedures, or when a child or parent is very anxious. Most distress is due to waking in an unfamiliar environment and usually settles with reassurance from parents and carers.
Eating and drinking after surgery
Once your child is awake and feels well enough, they will be offered a drink or an ice block in recovery.
After anaesthesia, it is important to not give much food too soon, as this can lead to your child being nauseous or vomiting.
Depending on the type of surgery, your child may be given special eating and drinking instructions. Staff will let you know when it is safe to start eating and drinking.
Pain relief after surgery
Your anaesthetist and recovery nurse will help with your child’s pain relief after their surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery, different pain relief is given.
- For minor surgery, your child may be given medications like paracetamol (e.g. Panadol®, Dymadon®) and ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen®) to control pain.
- For major surgery, your child may be given stronger pain medication like morphine. These children are usually monitored by the hospitals pain medicine team.
Going home
Day admission
Children generally stay in hospital for at least 2 hours before going home. They may stay longer if they feel unwell or need additional pain medication.
Overnight admission
Children will stay in hospital overnight and be likely discharged in the morning before or at 10am.
Follow-up appointments
Depending on your child’s surgery, your doctor or nurse will inform you if any necessary follow-up appointments to be organised.
Transport home
If you think there might be difficulties with arranging your own transport to go home when your child is discharged, please talk to the nursing staff as soon as possible.
At-home care
Before you leave, make sure you feel confident about caring for your child at home. You will receive:
- Written treatment instructions
- Any medications needed (there may be a cost for the medication)
- Information about follow‑up and who to contact with concerns
Transfers to a local hospital
If your child no longer requires highly specialised care at one of our hospitals, your child may be transferred to an appropriate hospital closer to home.
Transfers are discussed with parents or carers and help ensure the hospital can continue providing high‑level care to children who are most unwell.
Helping your child adjust back to everyday life
Recovery looks different for every child. Some settle back into home life quickly, while others need extra support. In the adjustment period, your child may:
- Seek extra attention
- Show changes in behaviour
- Have trouble sleeping
It may take time to settle back into old routines. If you have any concerns, speak to your doctor or a member of your child's healthcare team