Pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgeons in Idaho Falls, Idaho
Our caring doctors perform routine and complex procedures for your infant, child or teen.
At Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), we have the region's first and only pediatric surgery program. This gives your child access to advanced surgical care in an environment that prioritizes their safety and comfort.
Text updates during surgery
Your family can receive updates during your procedure via text message. This service is designed to support your family and help them receive information as quickly as possible.
Your family can receive updates during your procedure via text message. This service is designed to support your family and help them receive information as quickly as possible.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Conditions treated by our pediatric surgeons
Our dedicated surgical team addresses numerous conditions affecting children, including:
- Appendicitis
- Biliary atresia
- Ear, nose and throat (ENT) issues
- Gallstones
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Hernias
- Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
- Liver diseases
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Protruding chest (pectus carinatum)
- Short bowel syndrome (SBS)
- Sunken chest (pectus excavatum)
- Tumors
- Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism)
Our pediatric surgical care program
We know that hospital services can be overwhelming, especially for families of young children. With this in mind, we work to offer thoughtful resources to establish the most pleasant experience possible. Our fellowship-trained pediatric surgeons lead your child's care team and are prepared to deliver specialized support for newborns. We also pair you with a child life specialist who remains by your child's side. They help ease your child's fears and explain their diagnosis and treatment plan in a developmentally appropriate way.
Pre-procedure tours
When your child is scheduled for surgery, it is important that you feel comfortable with the anesthesiology team caring for them during their procedure. Our pediatric anesthesiologist understands your child's special requirements, enabling them to handle sedation during surgery and pain management thereafter.
We also give you, your child and our child life specialist the option to go on a facility tour together before the procedure. This is intended to help familiarize your family with our environment and medical equipment.
Tours are free of charge, but we do require a reservation. If you are interested in scheduling a tour prior to surgery, call (208) 529-7288.
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
If your newborn requires additional attention after birth, the neonatologists in our Level III NICU provide vital care for a wide range of conditions diagnosed before and after delivery. Our surgical team consults with you when maternal-fetal care is needed, and works closely with our specialists to provide the safest delivery experience possible.
Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
We offer the only ICUs for children across Southeast Idaho, Western Wyoming and Southern Montana. Our PICU provides critical care for individuals up to 18 years old and treats a variety of serious illnesses and injuries, including burns, trauma, respiratory failure, neurological conditions and bleeding disorders. Care is provided by our board-certified pediatric intensivists and a multidisciplinary team of specialized medical professionals, including:
- Dieticians
- Occupational therapists
- Pediatric nurses
- Pharmacists
- Physical therapists
- Respiratory therapists
- Social workers
- Speech therapists
Surgeries we perform
To meet your child's specific surgical needs, our experienced, board-certified surgeons can perform several procedures, including:
- Abdominal tumor surgery
- Appendectomy
- Chest tumor surgery
- Cholecystectomy
- ENT surgery
- Gastrointestinal (GI) surgery
- GERD surgery
- Hernia surgery
- Infant surgery
- Intestinal pseudo-obstruction surgery
- Liver surgery
- Neonatal surgery
- Orchiopexy
- Pectus carinatum (PC) surgery
- Pectus excavatum (PE) surgery
- Short bowel surgery
- Thoracoscopic surgery
Preparing your child for surgery
We know you may have questions about your child's services, and strive to keep you informed every step of the way.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Having the right words for your child can be difficult sometimes, especially if you're not familiar with everything that goes on during a procedure. However, we provide answers to some of the most common questions they may ask.
Who will do the operation?
You might say, "Doctors and nurses will do the operation. They will take care of you and keep you safe the whole time. You will meet your nurse and sleep doctor before the operation."
Why can't I eat or drink before my operation?
You might say, "The sleeping medicine works best when there is no food in your tummy. After the operation, you can eat when you feel hungry."
Will it hurt?
You might say, "It won't hurt during the operation because the sleeping medicine protects you. But afterward, the place where you had your operation may feel sore. The doctor or nurse can give you medicine to help the soreness go away."
Things to bring and do
In addition to having open dialogue with your child leading up to their surgery, there are other ways to get them ready in advance, including:
- Bringing a favorite toy, book, handheld game, security blanket or other treasured possessions to the hospital
- Encouraging your child to draw pictures as a way to express their thoughts and feelings about the surgery
- Letting your child make choices before and after surgery, such as clothes to pack for the hospital or which favorite item to bring
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