NPO Guidelines

Patients who are undergoing anesthesia of any type are not allowed to eat or drink beforehand. This time period is dependent on the type of food and the age of the patient. If these guidelines are not followed, for the safety of the child, the procedure may need to be postponed to another day.

The Following are the NPO Guidelines:

1. FORMULA, MILK, AND SOLIDS
   If the child is less than 3 years of age, they may have these foods up until 6 hours prior to the time of surgery. If the child is 3 years of age or older, they may have these foods up until 8 hours prior to the time of surgery.
2. BREAST MILK
   The child may be fed breast milk up until 4 hours prior to the time of surgery.
3. CLEAR LIQUIDS
   The child may drink clear liquids up until 2 hours before the time of surgery. Examples of clear liquids are water, Pedialyte, tea, apple juice, jello without fruit, and clear broth. Fruit juices with pulp are not allowed.
4. If the child has any of the following problems, you should only follow the guidlines outlines in #1. #2 and #3 do not apply:
   Any disease of the esophagus, stomach, or intestines (e.g., reflux)
   Kidney failure
   Liver disease
   Obesity

These guidelines apply only to The Mount Sinai Hospital and should not be referred to for use at any other hospital. Other hospitals will have their own guidelines that may differ from ours.

Meet Me at Mount Sinai

The Meet Me At Mount Sinai program is the first step in introducing young patients to the hospital and surgery. Preparing young patients for surgery is important. In fact, it has been proven that children who are prepared for surgery and have support throughout the hospital experience recover more quickly and have fewer problems than those who are not prepared. This program provides an opportunity for parent and patient to preview the hospital experience and ask questions in a caring setting, so that the patient will be better prepared when it is time for surgery. These sessions are offered in both English and Spanish.

An experienced team that includes a pediatric social worker, a pediatric surgery nurse practitioner, and a child life specialist runs the Meet Me At Mount Sinai program. The pediatric surgery nurse practitioner will perform a pre-operative needs assessment and the pediatric social worker and child life specialist will do a psychosocial evaluation and developmentally appropriate preparation.

This program is designed to meet the young patients' particular needs. Younger children get their own doll to "doctor" along with a play medical kit and a coloring book about hospitals. With these toys, children are guided through each step of the hospital experience. For older children and teenagers, the program is tailored to their individual interests and questions. These sessions tend to be more interactive.