Important Safety Instructions to Follow

Eating and drinking instructions

For your child’s safety, the procedure or surgery may be cancelled or rescheduled if your child has not stopped food and drink as instructed before surgery.

Eating and drinking instructions, sometimes called NPO instructions, for surgery and procedure patients are listed below. These must be strictly followed to keep your child as safe as possible. If these instructions are not followed, your child's surgery or procedure may be delayed or canceled.

Please read the following information carefully

Except for emergencies, your child's stomach should be empty when anesthesia is started. This helps prevent vomiting, which may cause food or stomach acid to get into the lungs.

Follow the instructions that the Pediatric Anesthesia Resource Center, or PARC provider, has given you. A small number of children will receive special instructions different from these, depending on their medical needs.

WE ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO DRINK CLEAR LIQUIDS UP UNTIL YOUR ARRIVAL TIME.

It is important to make sure your child is hydrated and has enough liquids in their body. This will keep them comfortable and help with their recovery after surgery. Clear liquids include only water, Pedialyte, Gatorade, and clear apple juice. The apple juice cannot be cider or have pulp. Have your child drink clear liquids up until the time they are scheduled to arrive at the hospital.

Keep taking prescribed medicines with a small sip of water unless the care team tells you to stop.

• STOP food and candy at 12 a.m. Midnight
  Food includes anything that’s NOT formula, milk, breast milk or clear liquids.
• STOP formula and milk when your Care Team tells you to stop.
• STOP breast milk when your Care Team tells you to stop.
• STOP all clear liquids at the time you are told to arrive at the hospital.
  Clear liquids include only water, Pedialyte, Gatorade, and clear apple juice. The apple juice cannot be cider or have pulp.

Print these pre-procedure eating and drinking instructions (NPO guidelines): English / Español

Bathe or shower before the procedure or surgery

To help lower the risk of your child getting an infection during the procedure or surgery, your child will need to bathe or shower the night before unless otherwise directed by your health care provider.

• For babies and children younger than 12 months of age:
  Use a regular baby soap that you would normally use on your child.
• For children older than 12 months of age:
  Use any regular antibacterial soap the night before. 

If you were given CHG wipes at your surgical clinic appointment, use these after bathing as directed.

PARC can answer any questions you have about bathing before the procedure or surgery.

Click here to print out our helpful guidelines for your next procedure or surgery.

Ask about giving medicine before the procedure or surgery

If your child is currently taking medicine, ask for instructions from the PARC anesthesia provider. Find out if your child should continue the regular medicines before the procedure or surgery. Also ask about whether or not your child may have over-the-counter medicines before the procedure or surgery. Follow the instructions from PARC exactly.

Let us know any signs of illness before the procedure or surgery

If your child is feeling sick (for example, fever, cough, rash, diarrhea, etc.) before the procedure or surgery, please call the Pediatric Anesthesia Resource Center (PARC) at (650) 736-7359 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call the operating room front desk at (650) 721-2820 from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. and on weekends.

If parents have signs of illness before your child’s procedure or surgery, please arrange for another legal guardian to bring your child to the hospital. Call the Pediatric Anesthesia Resource Center (PARC) at (650) 736-7359 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or the operating room front desk at (650) 721-2820 from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. if you need assistance.

To protect our patients from infection, parents, visitors, and staff with illness or exposure to contagious diseases are not permitted into the hospital.