Anesthesia Safe for Kids, Doctors’ Group Says

Anesthesia eases the pain of millions of children who must have surgery every year, but parents who are worried about the safety of these medications should talk to their anesthesiologist about their fears, experts advise.

“Particularly in infants and toddlers, surgery is only recommended when necessary for the child’s health, so parents should not avoid an important procedure out of fear,” said Dr. Randall Flick. He is chair of the Committee on Pediatric Anesthesia at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). “Physician anesthesiologists have completed years of special training to ensure safe, high-quality care, which should set parents’ minds at ease,” said Flick, who is also associate professor of pediatrics and anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. There are many important details about children’s health that anesthesiologists should know before surgery, the ASA added in a news release. The group recommends that parents ask the following seven questions before any type of surgery: