Caring for your child's wound after discharge

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How to manage wound care at home after surgery

• FIRST DAY after surgery, keep the wound completely dry.
• TWO DAYS after surgery, start cleaning the wound with warm water and soap twice per day, patting it dry with a clean towel. Allow your child to take a shower and shampoo his/her hair. No baths yet.
• Your child can start taking a bath and soaking the wound once he/she is cleared by the surgeon at your post-op appointment.
• If your child has steri-strips or Dermabond (skin glue) on the wound, they will loosen up and fall off on their own; do not pull them off. Curling edges can be trimmed off with clean scissors.
• If the steri-strips accidentally come off before 7 days please contact the Neurosurgery office immediately.
• Do not apply any special lotions, ointments, creams, vitamin E, etc. while the wound is healing.

Additional recommendations

• Keep the wound site clean and dry.
• Always wash your hands before and after caring for your child.
• Remind others to wash their hands before and after visiting.
• Let others know that if they are sick they should not be visiting your child.
• If antibiotics are ordered, make sure to give them until they are all gone.

Call Neurosurgery if your child experiences any of the following

• fever of 101 degrees or higher
• redness, drainage, pain or increased swelling around incision(s)
• nausea and vomiting
• increasing sleepiness, difficulty waking up
• a seizure
• new or worsening weakness

Please contact Neurosurgery with any questions or concerns
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., call the Neurosurgery office at (414) 266-6435.

After hours and on weekends, call the Children's operator at (414) 266-2000 and ask to speak to the on-call Neurosurgery resident.

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