Providing Support
If your child needs to have an operation, you probably have
plenty of questions, many of them about anesthesia. You may wonder
if your child will feel pain during the
operation
, be aware of what's going on, wake up in the middle of the
surgery and be scared, or not feel well feel afterward.
The concept of being unconscious or losing sensation in the body
can be unnerving, especially when you're entrusting the health
and well-being of your child to someone else. But anesthesia today
is actually very safe. Unlike anesthesia of the past, when doctors
often used nothing more than ether and a stethoscope, modern
anesthesia in hospitals and surgery centers is administered by
highly trained professionals who use a wide range of safe
medications and extremely capable monitoring equipment.
Whether your child is scheduled for a minor procedure that needs
no hospital stay or major surgery that requires recovery time in
the hospital, it's important for you to be a strong support
system for your child. The more prepared, calm, and reassuring you
are about the surgery
and
the anesthesia, the easier the experience will probably be for both
you and your child.
What Kids May Fear
Kids' age and developmental level play a large role in what
they find scary about receiving anesthesia. Some kids,
especially younger ones, may fear being separated from their
parents. So they may feel more secure being with mom or dad in a
preoperative holding room or induction room until falling
asleep.
Older kids, however, may have much more complex fears: exposure
of body parts during surgery, cutting and scarring of the body,
waking up during surgery, loss of control, pain after surgery, and
even death.
One common concern among kids, young and old, is whether
they'll receive a needle and, if so, if it will hurt. A kind of
local anesthetic cream can be rubbed on the skin to remove the pain
of needle pricks when starting an intravenous (IV) line. This
usually works well to soothe fears of getting a "shot."
And, depending on the type of surgery and anesthesia being used, in
many cases kids can inhale or drink medication to help them relax
and feel sleepy before going into the operating room.
Talking to Your Child About Anesthesia
It may help your child handle the stress and uncertainly of the
procedure or surgery if you have a conversation ahead of time about
what to expect. Here are a few talking points to consider:
Let your child know where you'll be during the whole
experience.
Reassure your child that you'll be in the waiting room nearby
during the surgery and in the recovery room when he or she wakes up
after the surgery. You may also be able to sit with your child
until he or she falls asleep before the surgery. Discuss this with
your anesthesiologist. And explain that (in many outpatient
procedures), your child can come home soon after the surgery
is done. In cases that require hospitalization, most hospitals
avoid separation anxiety by permitting at least one parent to stay
with the child day and night.
Give your child age-appropriate and developmental
stage-appropriate information.
For a younger child, for example, less information may be better
than more. That doesn't mean lying - it just means giving the
most appropriate information for your child's age and
developmental stage. Giving young kids very detailed explanations
might make the experience more frightening or worrisome. Of course,
every child is different.
Consider saying something like, "A special doctor will give
you a little medicine to make you sleep very deeply so that you
won't feel anything during the operation."
Or you may just want to explain that all he or she has to do is
breathe (if your child is getting general anesthesia or will be
sedated using a mask). In many cases, the IV, breathing tubes, and
monitors are placed after kids are asleep and are usually removed
before they wake up, so they will have no knowledge or awareness
that some other potentially frightening things are even
happening.
But preteens and teens, especially, may need to be reassured
that they will
not
wake up
during
the procedure but that they
will
wake up
afterward
.
Avoid frightening language.
For example, don't say, "You'll be given gas" or
"You'll be put to sleep." A child may confuse
"gas" with the fuel that can poison or kill, and confuse
"put to sleep" with what happened to the family pet. Also
avoid saying, "You'll be taking a nap" - young kids
may think all future naps mean surgery. Likewise, you should never
tell children that they'll be stuck with a needle if they
misbehave or don't cooperate.
Answer questions honestly.
If you don't know the answer to a question, reassure your child
that you will ask the doctor.
Explain that the anesthesia will prevent your
child from feeling any pain during the procedure.
Explain that there may be some pain and discomfort after
the surgery, but that the doctor can give medicine to
help.
It's important for kids to understand that they don't have
to try to be brave or "put on a happy face" after
surgery. Explain that it's OK to let the doctor know about any
pain or discomfort so that your child can get help right
away.
Explain that it's normal to feel a little weird after
surgery.
Although every person has a different experience, a child who was
sedated or had general anesthesia may feel groggy, confused,
chilly, nauseated, scared, alarmed, or even sad when the
medications wear off. That's all perfectly normal. You may want
to tell your child, "You might wake up feeling a little funny,
but that's OK. I will be there with you."
Make sure whatever you tell your child is in line with what
the doctor has told you.
Don't pass on any misinformation - it may scare your child
if something happens that's different from what you've
explained.
Let your child know that it's normal to not remember
anything about the surgery.
That's one important aspect of general anesthesia.
Encourage your child to read about the present safety of
anesthesia.
Then share the information with the family - reading and sharing
information is an excellent coping mechanism.
Staying Calm
As you discuss the hospital and surgery, remember to
use nonverbal cues to communicate assurance: your tone of
voice, facial expressions, gestures, and body language convey
powerful messages. If you appear fearful, your child is likely to
feel scared or confused regardless of the words you use to explain
things. That's why it's important to try not to cry or
become emotional in front of your child before or after the
procedure. If you need to vent your emotions, try to take a few
minutes to step out of the room where your child can't see or
hear you.
If you're a calm, supportive, and soothing presence for your
child before and after, the whole experience will probably be
easier and far less stressful for you both.
Reviewed by:
Judith A. Jones, MD
Date reviewed: April 2009
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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