The literature and personal experience are referred to in an assessment of psycho-affective situations in hospitalised children awaiting non-emergency surgery (appendicectomy, adenotonsillectomy, inguinal hernia, phymosis, hypospadias, cryptorchidism). Psychological and somatic damage resulting from an absence of preparation before hospitalisation and during admission immediately prior to surgery is described. A method whereby this may be avoided as far as possible with the aid of relatives is described.