Neurosurgery care for kids

No matter how much you trust your care team, bringing your child in for brain or spinal cord surgery is likely to be scary. Our pediatric neurosurgery team wants to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you and your family, so please reach out when you have questions or concerns. On the unit, kids can play the Xbox video game system or spend time in private play areas. We’ve built in plenty of amenities to help parents stay by their children’s side, too.

Charting the path to Children’s neurosurgery unit

Our patients come to us in different ways:

• From the emergency department. Neurological emergencies like head and spine trauma may require surgical treatment.
• From another hospital. When a child needs neurosurgery, hospitals across the region know Children’s is one of the best. We arrange transfers by ambulance, plane and helicopter to speed kids to the right level of care.
• From a doctor’s referral. Pediatricians in the Twin Cities and across the country trust Children’s for their patients’ neurosurgical care. And many families request our services after hearing about us from our patients.

Your appointment with us

When possible, please arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. That way, we can zip through the registration and insurance process (remember to bring your insurance card and co-pay) and concentrate on what’s most important: taking care of your child.

• Late Arrivals: If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment start time, you may need to wait, see a different clinician, or we may need to reschedule your appointment for another day.
• No-shows: If you need to cancel, please notify us at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

For more information, please read our full appointment policy.

Before and after surgery

Our dedicated child-life specialists can help take the mystery out of pediatric neurosurgery with pre-surgery tours. These programs are designed to help patients, parents, siblings, and other family members to learn what to expect before, during, and after the surgery day (including care at home).

After surgery, we take special steps to give pain the one-two punch so kids can heal faster and feel happier. From patient-controlled pain medications to integrative mind-body therapies, our acclaimed pain management program provides everything kids need to relax and return home sooner.