The gallbladder is a small organ located under the liver. It stores bile, which helps break down fats in the diet. Your child had surgery to remove their gallbladder. The body can break down fats without a gallbladder, but it may take some time for your child's body to adjust. Start with a low-fat diet and slowly add other foods to help your child ease back into their regular diet.

Here's how to care for your child at home as they recover.

Follow your surgeon's recommendations for:

• Giving your child any medicines. These may include prescription pain medicine, acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand), or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Some prescription pain medicines also include acetaminophen or ibuprofen. To avoid giving too much, give the medicines exactly as your surgeon recommends.
• When to take off or change the bandages and how to care for the surgery incisions (cuts).
• What your child can eat. They may not be very hungry at first, so offer them clear liquids, such as water and broth, and bland foods, such as bananas, rice, and applesauce. If your child is able to drink clear liquids and eat bland foods, you can add other drinks and foods. Start with low-fat items first. Good choices to offer are fat-free milk, roast chicken, rice, and pasta. Slowly give different options as your child gets back to their regular diet.
• Any dietary changes (such as decreasing fiber).
• When your child can bathe.
• When your child can return to school, activities, and sports.
• When to schedule a follow-up appointment.

Other tips:

• Let your child rest as needed.
• Encourage your child to drink plenty of liquids. 
• Help your child avoid soda, caffeine, and spicy foods, since they may cause upset stomach or bloating.
• Offer cool drinks to soothe your child's discomfort if they have a sore throat from the breathing tube used during surgery.
• Put a cold or warm pack on the shoulder area if your child has pain (this can be caused by nerve irritation from the surgery). 

Your child:

• Gets a fever, cough, nausea (feeling sick to the stomach), or vomiting
• Has a change in their stools (poop)
• Has redness, swelling, or pus around the incisions
• Has pain that isn't relieved by pain medicine
• Has shoulder pain that lasts for more than a few days

Your child:

• Has severe belly pain. Or the pain goes away, then returns.
• Is vomiting and can't keep food or liquids down.
• Has signs of dehydration (not enough water in the body), such as a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, peeing less often, darker than usual pee, or crying with little or no tears.
• Is wheezing, feels short of breath, or has trouble breathing.

Why might a child or teen need their gallbladder removed? Reasons include:

• Gallstones (hard, pebble-like pieces that form in the gallbladder)
• Gallbladder inflammation (swelling and irritation)

What problems can happen after gallbladder removal? Most kids recover fully and have no problems. Occasionally, kids can have continued pain or indigestion or trouble eating certain foods. If your child has these symptoms, and they continue more than a few weeks after surgery, talk to your surgeon.