One of the ways you can reduce your child’s risk of an anesthesia complication is to follow all dietary restrictions. Both children and adults should have an empty stomach when receiving anesthesia. This is because during the procedure, food or liquids in the stomach may come back up into the throat and drain into the windpipe or lungs. Also, anesthesia can make children feel a little nauseated when they first wake. An empty stomach reduces their risk of vomiting after surgery.
Letting go of your child when you are nervous is understandably difficult. However, for safety reasons it is not recommended that caregivers accompany children to the operating room. We have found that if you can relax, smile, and trust the doctors or nurses who will be escorting your child into the operating room, the more comfortable and relaxed they will be, too. The best thing you can do for your child is to show them that everything is going to be okay.
Many of the most common pediatric surgeries involve the head or neck, which means these areas may swell after the procedure. It is also a common safety practice to gently tape the eyes shut during most surgeries. This protects the eye and reduces drying, but may cause the skin around the eye to appear red or puffy. Puffiness may also be caused by extra fluids from the IV.
After surgery, children may be emotional or tearful. This may be due to effects of the anesthesia, anxiety at having been separated from caregivers, or physical discomfort. You can reassure your child by staying calm and letting them know that they are safe. And if your child is having surgery at Pediatric Surgery Centers, a slushie often helps, too.
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