PreOpApp™ Kids is patent-pending and features innovative technology designed to help make preparing for surgery easier and less stressful for children and their families.

Created by Dr. Lauren Welsh, PreOpApp™ Kids blends pediatric anesthesia expertise with playful, child-centered design to help reduce fear, support calm, and build confidence before surgery.

Key Features:

Interactive Games: Engaging, age-appropriate activities that help children become familiar with the hospital and operating room environment while encouraging calm breathing, focus, and emotional regulation. Some motion-based features (such as the Little Hottie™ breathing game) use device motion controls and may require gyroscope support on certain Android devices.

Friendly Characters: A spark of courage flame (Little Hottie™), a cheerful goldfish, a cuddly sheep, a curious kitten, and other companions guide children through their surgical journey with warmth and reassurance.

Kid-Friendly Hospital Preparation: Visual storytelling helps children understand what happens before surgery, reducing fear of the unknown and helping them feel more prepared.

Smart Guidance: Gentle, timely reminders that support surgical preparation, reduce last-minute stress, ease the burden on busy families, and help everyone stay on track. Future versions of PreOpApp™ Kids are designed to support secure integration with hospital systems to further improve communication between families and their surgical and anesthesia teams.

Parent Resources: Practical guidance and tips for caregivers to help prepare their child for surgery with confidence.

Beyond Preparation: Utility on the Day of Surgery

Clinical Support: PreOpApp™ Kids can be used by anesthesiologists, CRNAs, CAAs, child life specialists, and other anesthesia team members to help support calmer transitions during induction of anesthesia. It can also support children in the preoperative holding area and provide comfort during transport to the operating room.

Physiology-Responsive Experiences: A key innovation of PreOpApp™ Kids is that its games gently synchronize with a child’s natural breathing rhythm and heart rate. Visual and audio elements flow in real time with the child, creating a calming, immersive experience that supports connection and comfort during anesthesia induction.

Motivational Challenges: Interactive games that invite children to remember playful details as they drift off to sleep — a modern, engaging alternative to familiar counting challenges like “How high can I count?” during anesthesia induction or counting sheep to fall asleep.

Why PreOpApp™ Kids?

Surgery can be overwhelming for children and families. By blending evidence-based approaches with engaging games and interactive technology, PreOpApp™ Kids makes preparation feel less scary and more empowering.

Children learn what to expect, families feel supported, and the hospital experience becomes calmer for everyone involved.

Created by a pediatric anesthesiologist, PreOpApp™ Kids is designed to complement the care children receive in hospitals while giving parents peace of mind that their child feels safe, supported, and ready.

PreOpApp™ Kids: Turning surgery prep into a journey of learning, confidence, and calm — from home to the operating room.