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Child's Recovery After Cardiac Surgery

Diet

• No special limitations on salt.
• Sometimes a physician will recommend a high-calorie formula for small babies who need to gain weight to catch up on growth and development.

Activities

• Wash the incisions with soap and water only (no lotions or ointments).
• Children are allowed to play as desired. They may run.
• Avoid all activities where the child may hit his/her chest for 2 months. Avoid climbing trees, hanging from jungle gyms, riding bikes, wrestling with siblings and any contact sports (football, soccer, karate).
• For older children and teens - no book bags or backpacks that weigh more than 10-15 pounds. This may require special arrangements with the school for two sets of books (one at home and one at school).
• Refrain from any activity that exposes the child to the general public for at least one week. This includes school, shopping, and religious services. Friends can visit if they are in good health. This helps protect the child from exposure to common illnesses such as colds and flu.
• Some children recover faster than others. Some may need naps or need to rest more often than expected. The decision to return to school should be evaluated at the end of the first week at home. First determine how the child is feeling and whether he/she gets tired after being involved in activities. He/she can return to school for 1/2 day at first.
• There are no limits on stair climbing.

Follow-up appointments

• The pediatric cardiac surgeon at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children should be seen 1 to 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital. Typically, only one follow-up visit is needed.
• The pediatric cardiologist at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children should be seen 1 to 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital, then at intervals set by the physician.
• Information will be sent to your child's pediatrician to facilitate long-term follow-up care.

Medications

• Fill prescriptions as indicated.
• Use Tylenol for pain. Pay attention to any instructions you received at the hospital to provide the correct dosage to the child.

When to call the physician

Call the pediatrician for:

• Fever >101.
• Cough (increase or change in pattern).
• Any signs of a urinary tract infection such as fever, vomiting, frequent urination, abdominal pain, back pain, foul smelling urine or crying, saying it hurts to urinate.

Call the pediatric cardiologist for:

• Feeling fine and then feeling symptoms similar to the flu (fever, cough, malaise, poor appetite).
• Fast breathing or fast heart rate.
• Signs of congestive heart failure.
• Change in color (or blue lips or gums which shows cyanosis).

Call the pediatric cardiac surgeon for:

• Red, tender, warm or swollen incision (showing signs of infection).
• Increased or new drainage from the incision.