About Anesthesia: Your Child is in Good Hands

Virtually all children undergoing surgery receive general anesthesia. This means that they will sleep very deeply during the operation. They will not awaken during surgery or have bad dreams, a common fear of even small children.

Most children like to avoid needles, so we usually begin anesthesia with a breathing mask. After the child is asleep, an intravenous needle (IV) is inserted to give fluids and any additional drugs. However, some children are afraid of the mask on their face and prefer the IV first, and that's okay too. In our experienced hands, each of these techniques is equally safe to maintain your child's sleep, we typically provide a combination of inhaled gas and intravenous medications; the amount used depends on the patient's approximate weight. While the child is asleep, local anesthetics may be injected near the surgical site. This allows for a less painful recovery period after the child awakes.

The risks of anesthesia vary little with the technique that is used. The likelihood of encountering serious complications during routine surgery is extremely low. Children may have minor discomforts such as a sore throat and nausea.

For More Information

We are always happy to answer any of your questions; call us at 401-444-6030.

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