Thirty six Hong Kong Chinese children aged between 2-10 years, admitted for elective surgery were observed during the course of their hospitalisation. Data on levels of overt distress behavior, and on 36 different categories of maternal and nursing staff interaction were gathered, along with demographic data. Levels of interaction between mother-child dyads were seen to change significantly over the course of the hospitalisation, with higher levels of contact and comforting, along with a decrease in maternal caretaking behaviour seen pre-surgery compared to day of surgery and thereafter. A complex interaction between birth order of child, level of overt distress and maternal comforting was observed. Data are seen as consistent with other published material on responses of children to hospitalisation.