Hernia repair: Care for your child after the operation

What is a hernia?

A hernia happens when tissue or bowel pushes through a gap in the muscle wall. When your child has a hernia, you can usually see a swelling or a bump under the skin. This bump may get bigger after your child cries or strains. The bump often gets smaller during the night, while your child is asleep or relaxed.

There are different types of hernia:

• An umbilical (say: um-BILL-ick-al) hernia happens at or near the belly button. Usually, an umbilical hernia does not cause any problems.
• An inguinal (say: in-GWY-nal) hernia happens near the groin area, between the belly and the thigh. With boys, you can often see a swelling in the scrotum. If an inguinal hernia is not treated, it can cause serious problems.

Your child may need surgery (an operation) to fix the hernia. A urologist or a general surgeon will operate on your child.

For more information about the causes, and the signs and symptoms of hernia, visit the Hernia article.

This page explains what to expect before and after the operation. It also explains how to take care of your child at home. Use this information to explain to your child what will happen, using words they can understand.

Umbilical hernia

At the hospital

Usually, a hernia repair is a day surgery. This means that your child can go home on the same day as the operation.

You will need to take time off from work

Unless there are problems after the operation, your child will go home on the same day as the operation. So you will need to take at least one day off from work for the day of the operation.

Usually children recover quickly after having a hernia repair. They may have to be home from school or daycare for several days to rest. They can return to normal activity as soon as they feel well enough. They can go swimming once the dressing covering on the wound has been removed.

Caring for your child at home after the operation

Care of the incision

Your child will have stitches to close the incision (surgical cut). The stitches will be covered with either a small dressing or small pieces of tape, called steri-strips.

• The stitches will dissolve in several days.
• You can soak the dressing off in the bathtub after 5 days.
• Steri-strips will fall off on their own. If they have not fallen off 7 to 10 days after the operation, you can take them off.

Always wash your hands before you touch or clean the incision area.

A small amount of blood staining the steri-strips is normal, as long as the blood is dry and not spreading. If it looks fresh (bright red) or it is spreading:

• Press on the area with a clean washcloth for five to six minutes.
• If the bleeding does not stop, call your child's surgeon's office or take your child to a doctor.

Pain

Your child will feel sore for two or three days. The surgeon will give you a prescription for morphine. You can also give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed to relieve the pain. Your surgeon will explain when you can use these medicines.

If the pain gets worse, even after your child takes pain medicine, call the surgeon's office.

Food and drink

For the first 24 hours after the operation, your child may feel nauseated (sick to their stomach) or vomit (throw up). This is normal. Give your child clear liquids to drink after the operation, like water and apple juice. As soon as your child is feeling better, they can go back to eating what they normally eat.

If your child cannot eat what they normally eat at home, call your surgeon's office.

Bathing

Your child can shower or bathe normally, starting 48 hours (two days) after the operation.

Activity

Your child will be able to sit up, crawl or walk within a few hours after the operation.

At home, your child should rest for one or two days. After that, they can gradually go back to their normal activities at their own pace.

Depending on how your child feels, they should not do heavy lifting, ride a bicycle or play with toys that must be straddled for two to four weeks.

Going back to day care or school

Your child can go back to day care or school as soon as they feel well enough.

What to expect in the future

A hernia repair is a simple, routine procedure. There are usually no long-term problems. Possible problems are:

• the wound getting infected
• the hernia coming back

A hernia repair is not likely to cause problems with how your child grows and develops.

When to call the surgeon

The main concern with a hernia repair is infection. Call your child's surgeon's office if your child has any of these signs: fever above 38.5°C or 101°F that continues for two or more days, thick, yellow or green, foul smelling leakage from the wound, or active bleeding.

If your child is bleeding a lot or you are worried, do not wait to get in touch with the surgeon. Take your child to a doctor or the emergency department right away.

At SickKids

Urology

Urology clinic: 416-813-6661

If you have concerns at night or on the weekend, you can visit your local Emergency Room or the Hospital for Sick Children Emergency Department. If you have any questions, you may also contact your family physician or paediatrician.

General Surgery

General Surgery clinic: 416-813-7272.

After hours, please call the general surgeon on call through Locating at 416-813-1500.