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Post-hospitalisation behavioural changes in children: effects of day-stay surgery
1Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Stellenbosch, Medical School, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Insights
Day-stay versus overnight stays for pediatric ear, nose, and throat surgery showed similar behavioral changes in children. Parental satisfaction was high in both day-stay and inpatient groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Anesthesiology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Minor ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeries are common in children.
- Hospitalization duration can impact a child's post-operative experience and behavior.
- Day-stay and inpatient care models offer different approaches to pediatric surgical recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the incidence and types of post-hospitalization behavioral changes in children undergoing minor ENT surgery.
- To assess parental satisfaction with day-stay versus inpatient care for pediatric ENT procedures.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving two groups of children aged 1-10 years undergoing minor ENT surgery.
- One group received day-stay treatment at a private clinic; the other group stayed two nights in a teaching hospital.
- Anesthesia and surgical procedures were standardized across both groups.
Main Results:
- The incidence of post-hospitalization behavioral changes was 56.6% for day-stay patients and 62.5% for inpatients.
- No significant differences in behavioral changes were observed between groups, except for apathy (inpatients) and sleeping in parents' bed (day-stay).
- Parental satisfaction was high, with 77% positive comments regarding the overall experience.
Conclusions:
- Day-stay and inpatient care for minor pediatric ENT surgery result in comparable post-operative behavioral changes.
- Specific behavioral differences, though statistically significant, were minor and did not detract from high parental satisfaction.
- Day-stay care appears to be a viable and satisfactory option for selected pediatric ENT surgical cases.
Abstract:
Two comparable groups of young children, aged one to ten years, underwent minor ear, nose and throat surgery. One group was treated as day-stay patients at a private clinic and the other group spent two nights in a teaching hospital. Anaesthesia and surgery were similar in both groups. The incidence of post-hospitalisation behavioural changes was reported as 56.6% for the day-stay cases and 62.5% for the in-patients. The relative frequencies of the reported changes were not different between the groups except for apathy in the in-patient group and sleeping in parents bed in the day-stay group (p < 0.001). Parental satisfaction with the experience was high, 77% of the comments being positive.