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How can you care for your child at home?
Activity
- Have your child rest when your child feels tired.
- For 3 months, make sure your child avoids lifting anything that would make your child strain. This may include a heavy backpack, heavy grocery bags and milk containers, or bags of cat litter or dog food.
- Have your child hold a pillow over the incision when your child coughs or takes deep breaths. This will support your child's chest and decrease the pain.
- Have your child do breathing exercises at home as instructed by your doctor. This will help prevent pneumonia.
- For 4 to 6 weeks or until the doctor says it is okay:
- Your child should not ride a bike, play running games or contact sports, or take part in gym class. It is okay for your child to walk and play with other children or play with toys.
- Your child should not do activities that could cause a blow to the chest, such as wrestling or playing catch with a ball.
- Do not pick up your child by the arms. This can put stress on the chest incision. Scoop up your child by putting your arms under your child's rear end.
- Your doctor will tell you when your child can go back to school or day care. Your child will probably have to spend at least 1 week at home.
- For about 1 week, keep your child away from large crowds and people that you know have a cold or the flu. This lowers your child's chance of getting an infection.
Diet
- Your child can eat a normal diet. If your child's stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
- If your child's bowel movements are not regular right after surgery, you can help your child avoid constipation and straining. Have your child drink plenty of water. The doctor may suggest fiber, a stool softener, or a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when your child can restart any medicines. The doctor will also give you instructions about your child taking any new medicines.
- Have your child take medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think your child is having a problem with a medicine.
- Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- If the doctor gave your child a prescription medicine for pain, give it as prescribed.
- If your child is not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask the doctor if your child can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- If you think the pain medicine is making your child sick to the stomach:
- Have your child take the medicine after meals (unless the doctor has told you not to).
- Ask your child's doctor for a different pain medicine.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, be sure your child takes them as directed. Your child should not stop taking them just because your child feels better. Your child needs to take all the antibiotics.
- If your child takes a blood thinner, be sure to get instructions about how to give this medicine safely. Blood thinners can cause serious bleeding problems.
Incision care
- Your child will have a dressing over the cut (incision). A dressing helps the incision heal and protects it. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of this.
- If your child has strips of tape on the cut (incision) the doctor made, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off.
- Change the bandage every day.
- Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. They can slow healing.
- Your child may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if the doctor okays it. Pat the incision dry. Your child should not swim or take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
- Do not use any creams, lotions, powders, ointments, or oils on the incision unless your doctor tells you it is okay.
Other instructions
- Keep track of your child's weight. Weigh them every day at the same time of day, on the same scale, in the same amount of clothing. A sudden increase in weight can be a sign of a problem with their heart. Tell your doctor if your child has a sudden weight gain in 2 to 3 days. Your child's doctor can tell you how much weight gain to watch for.
- Heart defects can increase your child's risk of an infection in the heart. Talk to your doctor about your child's risk. Your child may need to take antibiotics before certain dental or surgical procedures to prevent infection. Help your child take good care of their teeth and gums to help prevent infection.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think your child may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- Your child passes out (loses consciousness).
- Your child has trouble breathing.
- Your child has severe chest pain.
- Your child has sudden chest pain and shortness of breath, or coughs up blood.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- Your child is sick to the stomach or cannot keep fluids down.
- Your child has pain that does not get better after taking pain medicine.
- Your child has signs of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
- Your child has loose stitches, or the incision comes open.
- Your child is bleeding a lot from the incision.
- Your child has symptoms of a blood clot in the arm or leg. These may include:
- Pain in the arm, calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
- Redness and swelling in the arm, leg, or groin.
- Your child has sudden weight gain in 2 to 3 days. Your child's doctor can tell you how much weight gain to watch for.
- Your child has increased swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet.
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if your child has any problems.
Current as of: October 2, 2024
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
