How safe is anesthesia for children?

Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at P/SL

Many parents express concern about the risks of anesthesia for their children. Risk is actually quite low when using anesthesia during surgery. Monitoring is more sophisticated than in the past and anesthesiologists are more experienced.

RealAge

Given today’s safety standards, the life-threatening risks are very, very low. Your child may experience some side effects, which are generally mild, such as being disoriented, agitated or nauseous. Vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness and a sore throat are also pretty common. Most side effects either wear off or are treatable. I’d opt for local anesthesia whenever possible, as it’s the most mild, but it’s often not practical for even minor surgeries on children.

From The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents by Jennifer Trachtenberg.

More About this Book

The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do! "Moms and dads need expert guidelines, especially when it comes to their kids' health. This book reveals the inside strategies I use myself-I'm a parent, too!-to avoid critical, common blunders where it matters most: in the ER, pediatrics ward, all-night pharmacy, exam room, or any other medical hot spot for kids. These tips could save your child’s life one day. Even tomorrow." -Dr. Jen Making health care decisions for your child can be overwhelming in this age of instant information. It's easy to feel like you know next to nothing or way too much. Either way, you may resort to guessing instead of making smart choices. That’s why the nation's leading health care oversight group, The Joint Commission, joined forces with Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg on this book: to help you make the right decisions, whether you're dealing with a checkup or a full-blown crisis. The Smart Parent's Guide will give you the information you need to manage the pediatric health care system. Dr. Jen understands the questions parents face—as a mom, she's faced them herself. She walks you through everything: from how to choose the best ER for kids (not adults) to when to give a kid medicine (or not to) to how pediatricians care for their own children (prepare to be surprised). Her goal is your goal: to protect the health of your children. There simply is nothing more important.

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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Pain Treatment

Pain treatment varies depending on the severity of an injury or cause of the pain. Analgesics, or pain relievers, may be your first step. Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin can treat mild to moderate pain. Stronger pain medication may be prescribed after surgery or more severe injuries. For chronic pain that persists, your doctor can help determine the best course of treatment or give you a referral for a pain specialist. Learn more about treating pain with expert advice from Sharecare.

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