In hospital
How long your child stays depends on the operation, from a day or two to longer after major surgery. Pain relief is given regularly, and children are encouraged to eat, drink and move about as soon as they are able. Parents can generally stay overnight at both Netcare Unitas Hospital and Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital. Parents cannot sleep in the intensive care unit (ICU), but the team aims to accommodate them in the paediatric ward where possible.
Going home
- Keep the wound clean and dry. You will be told when your child may bath or wash their hair, and when stitches are removed or dissolve.
- Give pain relief as advised.
- Quiet play is fine. You will be told when your child can return to school, sport and rough play.
Warning signs
Phone the rooms or seek help if the wound becomes red, swollen or leaks fluid, or if your child has a fever. If your child is very drowsy, difficult to wake, has a seizure, repeated vomiting or a severe headache, go to the nearest emergency unit or call 10177. If your child is under our care, also call the hospital switchboard and ask for Dr Labuschagne (Netcare Unitas Hospital 012 677 8000; Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital 010 133 0600).
Follow-up
A follow-up appointment is usually arranged for a few weeks after the operation, and then as needed. Some conditions, such as hydrocephalus with a shunt, need lifelong follow-up. A written report is sent to your child's referring doctor.
Growing up
Many children treated for neurosurgical conditions grow up to lead full lives. Follow-up visits check growth, development and learning, and you will be helped to arrange therapy or school support if it is needed. In the teenage years, planning begins for moving on to adult care, so that young people learn to understand and manage their own condition.