海角社区

Andrew Feng is a bright 6-year-old boy who loves to play the online strategy game Clash of the Clans and go trick-or-treating on Halloween. This Halloween, however, he will be undergoing surgery to remove a benign growth from one of his ribs.

Naturally, Andrew鈥檚 parents are a little anxious. This will be their son鈥檚 first operation and he might have to stay overnight at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital.

鈥淔or sure, we鈥檙e nervous,鈥� said Andrew鈥檚 mother, Weilu Yu. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the whole unknown of the surgery.鈥�

The Montreal Children鈥檚 is hoping to demystify some of that unknown with what it calls the first interactive computer program of its kind: the 鈥淢y First Surgery鈥� app for iPads now available for free on iTunes.

Conceived by Montreal Children鈥檚 surgeon Robert Baird 鈥� who will be operating on Andrew 鈥� the app features content for both adults and children, using colourful computer animation and videos.

鈥淗ow to you feel about your surgery?鈥� the app asks.

A child can tap on a teddy bear with shades, labelled 鈥渁ll cool,鈥� or one marked 鈥渃urious鈥� with a question mark over its head, 鈥渟cared鈥� for a shaking teddy bear and 鈥渃onfused鈥� for a bear with a large drop of sweat rolling down its cheek. A new screen pops up after the tap, showing a cartoon surgeon (who looks a lot like Baird) telling the child in a soothing voice what awaits in the operating room.

鈥淭his is a mask,鈥� says a cartoon anesthesiologist later in the app. 鈥淚t gives you fresh air to help you fall asleep.鈥�

Baird, whose app has already won a 鈥渂iomedical innovation鈥� award by 海角社区, said parents often forget some of the details that a surgeon or nurse might tell them about their child鈥檚 upcoming surgery. The app, therefore, serves as a useful review tool for parents while offering reassurance.

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