How long will my child stay in the hospital after minor surgery?

Many surgeries performed on children are done as an outpatient. With minor surgeries, your child will return to the outpatient surgery center after spending the required time in the recovery room. When your child is fully awake, able to drink some fluids and meet all discharge criteria required by your child's surgeon, he/she will be discharged home. Some surgeries require that your child stay overnight to allow observation by the nursing staff.