Non Sequitir
I wish that the medical establishment was more open about medical PTSD, especially re: incidence in disabled people and children. Nobody told 4/6/12/15-yr-old me or my parents about the trauma my surgeries might cause.

From age 4 until I started going to therapy when I was sixteen, I thought it was just life to have panic attacks at doctors’ and dentists’ offices, have really horrible intrusive thoughts, and nightmares about being cut open. I had no idea. And neither did my parents.

I understood that I had trauma, but I didn’t know that 1/5th of EVERYONE who has a spinal fusion surgery will develop PTSD. And I’ve had two back surgeries.
These were not elective, but nevertheless, I should have been warned in advance.

Doctors need to prepare patients and advocates for the possibility that they may experience trauma, even when best practices are followed. Surgery is scary and recovery is rough! Especially for kids! And if you are forewarned about symptoms (nightmares, anxiety, etc.)...

You can recognize them in yourself or your loved ones and seek treatment before symptoms get worse. Mental health is part of the patient’s overall health and should be a consideration of post-op care.
ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER VULNERABLE PATIENTS.

(A lot of hospitals do their best to mitigate risks of trauma or other mental health decline, especially for kids, by having kid-friendly entertainment and decorations available. But that rings hollow if caregivers aren’t educated about medical PTSD and what triggers it.)