When your child requires surgery, it can be a stressful time for both parent and child.

Pediatrician Eric Jones says preparation is key to help your child's surgery go smooth for both parent and child. "They need to know very clearly what the child's past history is ok, so really think back about how they ever been in the hospital, have they ever been on long term medicine, what kinds of things do they frequently suffer from."

Dr. Jones also says that your child's medical history is not the only bit of information that your surgeon will want to know about, they'll also want to know about your family history. "Has anybody ever had a reaction to anesthesia or had a problem with the incubation or the airway management of the surgery, anybody ever had a bleeding problem? Those kinds of problems we try to anticipate what can go wrong by asking what has gone wrong in the past."

As a recovery room Edelweiss Jose has seen both adults and children recover from surgery. "And usually kids bounce back faster than adults do."

But Edelweiss is not only a recovery room nurse she's also a mother who's own child has been through surgery. Her professional experience allowed her to know just what to look for after her daughter came out of surgery. "A good sign of a child who's waking up from surgery is crying. Means the baby; you know the child is breathing. They're respiratory system's working and they're waking up and if they're crying, that's ok."

The good news is most hospitals let at least one parent stay with the child at all times except during the actual operation. After surgery, you may return to your child in the recovery room and they can assume you never left.

It's also important for you to learn as much as you can about your child's surgery. The more you know, the better you will feel and the more you can help explain things to your child.