BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAnesthesia - what to ask your doctor - childWhat to ask your doctor about anesthesia - childYour child is scheduled to have a surgery or procedure. You will need to talk with your child's surgeon about the type of anesthesia that will be best for your child. Below are some questions you may want to ask.QuestionsBEFORE ANESTHESIAWhich type of anesthesia is best for my child and the procedure that my child is having?General anesthesia General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Spinal or epidural anesthesia Spinal or epidural anesthesiaSpinal and epidural anesthesia are procedures that deliver medicines that numb parts of your body to block pain. They are given through shots in or ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Conscious sedationConscious sedationConscious sedation uses a combination of medicines to help you relax (a sedative) and to reduce pain (an analgesic) during a medical or dental proced...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When does my child need to stop eating or drinking before the anesthesia? What if my child is breastfeeding?When do my child and I need to get to the hospital on the day of the surgery? Is the rest of our family allowed to be there too?If my child is taking the following medicines, what should I do?Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve), arthritis medicines, vitamin E, warfarin (Coumadin), or any other medicines that make it hard for the child's blood to clot Vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other supplements Medicines for heart problems, lung problems, diabetes, allergies, or seizures Other medicines the child is supposed to take everyday If my child has asthma, diabetes, seizures, heart disease, or any other medical problems, do I need to do anything special before my child has anesthesia?AsthmaAsthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and become narrow. It leads to breathing difficulty such as wheezing, shor...Read Article Now Book Mark Article DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Can my child take a tour of the surgery and recovery areas of the hospital before the surgery?DURING ANESTHESIAWill my child be awake or aware of what is happening? Will my child feel any pain? Will someone be watching to make sure my child is OK? How long may I stay with my child? AFTER ANESTHESIAHow soon will my child wake up? When can I see my child? How soon before my child can get up and move around? How long will my child need to stay? Will my child have any pain? Will my child have an upset stomach? If my child had spinal or epidural anesthesia, will my child have a headache afterwards? What if I have more questions after the surgery? Who can I contact? Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Society of Anesthesiologists website. Statement on practice recommendations for pediatric anesthesia. www.asahq.org/standards-and-practice-parameters/statement-on-practice-recommendations-for-pediatric-anesthesia. Updated October 13, 2021. Accessed November 18, 2024.Vutskits L, Davidson A, Soriano SG. Pediatric anesthesia. In: Gropper MA, ed. Miller's Anesthesia. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap72.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look Otitis media(Alt. Medicine)Scoliosis - InDepth(In-Depth)Viral hepatitis(Alt. Medicine)Feverfew(Alt. Medicine)Licorice(Alt. Medicine)Glaucoma - InDepth(In-Depth)Uterine fibroids and hysterectomy - InDepth(In-Depth)Obstructive sleep apnea - InDepth(In-Depth)Valerian(Alt. Medicine)Post-traumatic stress disorder(Alt. Medicine)Talking to your MD Anesthesia - what to ask your doctor - childTonsil removal - what to ask your doctor Ear tube surgery - what to ask your doctor Self Care The day of surgery for your childRelated Information Scoliosis(Condition)Conscious sedation for surgical procedures(Surgery)General anesthesia(Surgery)Spinal and epidural anesthesia(Surgery) Review Date: 10/20/2024 Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Anesthesia - what to ask your doctor - childWhat to ask your doctor about anesthesia - childYour child is scheduled to have a surgery or procedure. You will need to talk with your child's surgeon about the type of anesthesia that will be best for your child. Below are some questions you may want to ask.QuestionsBEFORE ANESTHESIAWhich type of anesthesia is best for my child and the procedure that my child is having?General anesthesia General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Spinal or epidural anesthesia Spinal or epidural anesthesiaSpinal and epidural anesthesia are procedures that deliver medicines that numb parts of your body to block pain. They are given through shots in or ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Conscious sedationConscious sedationConscious sedation uses a combination of medicines to help you relax (a sedative) and to reduce pain (an analgesic) during a medical or dental proced...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When does my child need to stop eating or drinking before the anesthesia? What if my child is breastfeeding?When do my child and I need to get to the hospital on the day of the surgery? Is the rest of our family allowed to be there too?If my child is taking the following medicines, what should I do?Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve), arthritis medicines, vitamin E, warfarin (Coumadin), or any other medicines that make it hard for the child's blood to clot Vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other supplements Medicines for heart problems, lung problems, diabetes, allergies, or seizures Other medicines the child is supposed to take everyday If my child has asthma, diabetes, seizures, heart disease, or any other medical problems, do I need to do anything special before my child has anesthesia?AsthmaAsthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and become narrow. It leads to breathing difficulty such as wheezing, shor...Read Article Now Book Mark Article DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Can my child take a tour of the surgery and recovery areas of the hospital before the surgery?DURING ANESTHESIAWill my child be awake or aware of what is happening? Will my child feel any pain? Will someone be watching to make sure my child is OK? How long may I stay with my child? AFTER ANESTHESIAHow soon will my child wake up? When can I see my child? How soon before my child can get up and move around? How long will my child need to stay? Will my child have any pain? Will my child have an upset stomach? If my child had spinal or epidural anesthesia, will my child have a headache afterwards? What if I have more questions after the surgery? Who can I contact? Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Society of Anesthesiologists website. Statement on practice recommendations for pediatric anesthesia. www.asahq.org/standards-and-practice-parameters/statement-on-practice-recommendations-for-pediatric-anesthesia. Updated October 13, 2021. Accessed November 18, 2024.Vutskits L, Davidson A, Soriano SG. Pediatric anesthesia. In: Gropper MA, ed. Miller's Anesthesia. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap72.
