The effect of anesthesia on the child. Anesthesia for Children - What Parents Need to Know. Late complications after anesthesia in children

Surgery under general anesthesia in a person of any age is a concern. Adult people come out of anesthesia in different ways - someone moves away from the procedure easily, and someone badly, recovering for a very long time. Children, in addition to a general disturbance of well-being, are not aware of what is happening and cannot adequately assess the situation, so an operation under general anesthesia can become a lot of stress. Parents worry about the consequences of anesthesia, how it will affect the child's well-being and behavior, and what kind of care children will need after waking up.

Recovery period after surgery under general anesthesia

A little about drugs

Modern drugs for anesthesia practically do not have a negative effect on the child and are quickly excreted from the body, which provides an easy recovery period after general anesthesia. For anesthesia in children, in most cases, inhalation methods of administering an anesthetic are used - they are absorbed into the blood in a minimum concentration and excreted by the respiratory organs unchanged.

Helping a child recover from anesthesia

The exit from anesthesia occurs under the strict supervision of an anesthesiologist and begins immediately after the cessation of the administration of the anesthetic. The specialist closely monitors the child's vital signs, evaluating the effectiveness of respiratory movements, blood pressure levels and the number of heartbeats. After making sure that the patient's condition is stable, he is transferred to the general ward. It is advisable that parents wait in the ward for the child - an unpleasant condition after anesthesia, as a rule, scares children, and the presence of a loved one will help to calm down. In the first hours after waking up, the baby is lethargic, inhibited, his speech may be slurred.

Girl in the room after surgery

With the use of modern drugs, the period of their excretion lasts no more than 2 hours. At this stage, such unpleasant symptoms as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pain in the surgical area, and fever may disturb. Each of these symptoms can be alleviated by taking certain measures.

  • Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of general anesthesia. It has been noted that the likelihood of vomiting is associated with blood loss - with extensive bleeding, the patient vomits in very rare cases. With nausea, the child is not recommended to eat for the first 6-10 hours after the operation, the liquid can be taken in small quantities so as not to provoke a new attack of vomiting. As a rule, relief occurs within a few hours after recovery from anesthesia. In the event that the child's condition has deteriorated significantly and vomiting does not bring relief, you can ask the nurse to give an injection of an antiemetic drug.
  • Dizziness and weakness are the body's natural reaction to anesthesia in the first hours after waking up. Recovery takes some time, and it is best if the child gets a few hours of sleep. In the event that for one reason or another sleep is impossible, you can distract the baby with cartoons, a favorite toy, an interesting book or a fairy tale.
  • Trembling is a consequence of a violation of thermoregulation. It is recommended to take care of a warm blanket in advance, which will help the child to warm up.
  • An increase in temperature is usually observed on the first day after surgery. Such a reaction of the body is considered normal in the case when the values ​​\u200b\u200bdo not exceed subfebrile numbers. An elevated temperature a few days after the operation suggests the development of complications and requires an additional examination.

Nurse measures girl's temperature after surgery

General anesthesia has the greatest impact on babies up to a year. In infants, a clear diet and sleep pattern has been developed, which goes astray after anesthesia - children can confuse day and night, being awake at night. In this case, only patience will help - after a few days or weeks, the baby will return to his usual regime on his own.

In rare cases, parents observe that their child "fell into childhood", that is, he began to do things that are not typical for his age. You don't have to worry about it, it's most likely temporary and will go away on its own.

Some children after surgery with general anesthesia do not sleep well, are naughty, refuse to eat. To help your child fall asleep, there are some rituals that should be performed every day before bedtime. It can be a glass of warm milk, interesting fairy tales or a relaxing massage. Watching TV should be limited - frequent change of pictures provokes excitation of the nervous system, even the most familiar harmless cartoons can increase sleep disturbances.

Feeding a child after anesthesia

If the baby feels well, sleeps well, he is not bothered by fever, nausea or vomiting, then doctors advise returning to normal life as soon as possible. Early activation of the patient contributes to rapid recovery and prevention of postoperative complications. After 5-6 hours, doctors may allow your child to eat. Food should be light - it can be vegetable soup, jelly with crackers or toast, cereals on the water. Babies receive mother's breast or formula milk.

In the absence of vomiting, drinking plenty of fluids will help you recover quickly. Pure non-carbonated water, compotes, fruit drinks, teas are most suitable. Juices and sugary carbonated drinks are not recommended for frequent drinking, as they contain a large amount of sugar.

Proper psychological preparation, the presence of loved ones and compliance with all the doctor's recommendations will help the child to more easily survive the postoperative period. The child's body has the ability to recover quickly, and in a few days the baby will feel much better than on the first day after the operation.

The need for anesthesia during operations or some types of diagnostics in babies often scares parents. You can often hear that anesthesia is harmful, it affects the brain of a child, but is this true? To understand this issue and determine the degree of influence of this type of anesthesia on the baby's body, you need to know what types of anesthesia exist, what are their features, whether they can lead to any consequences.

Anesthesia in pediatric practice is divided into types, based on how the active substance is delivered to the body of children. If it is delivered through the lungs - this is inhalation anesthesia, if by introduction into the body, through a vein - intravenous. Each of the types of anesthesia has its own advantages and disadvantages, it is impossible to say unequivocally that one of the types is better than the other. A specific type of anesthesia during a particular operation, manipulation or special diagnostics requires an individual approach in choosing. It depends on many factors:

  • The doctor himself and his experience with certain drugs;
  • Availability of necessary medicines in the hospital and equipment for their delivery;
  • From the task that the surgeon sets and the type of access (from the back, from the abdomen, special positions), the volume of intervention and the duration of the operation;
  • From the characteristics of the child, the presence of somatic or infectious pathologies, metabolism, weight, the presence of allergic reactions to medications and anesthetics;
  • From what kind of operation it is - planned or urgent (emergency), which determines the amount of preparation necessary for it.

In different hospitals, the same interventions may imply different anesthesia, it depends on the equipment of the hospital and its staff, the availability of drugs, and even whether this operation is paid or free. In addition, it is important to know that the anesthesiologist during the intervention can combine various methods of pain relief, using drugs that are acceptable for children, relaxing muscles and turning off consciousness. This is necessary so that children do not feel pain, discomfort and stress during the intervention, and the operations (or other necessary actions) are successful.

How is general anesthesia performed in pediatric practice?

If we are talking about an emergency situation, children are operated on as soon as possible, and general anesthesia is carried out with quick and active methods, we are talking about saving health and life. The doctor focuses on the specific situation, using the method that will be faster and more efficient. If the operation is planned, it is possible to fully prepare for it, which will minimize the risk of complications. For surgery and general anesthesia, the child must be healthy - exacerbations of chronic pathology, acute infections will become temporary contraindications for intervention. Under these conditions, general anesthesia is associated with a high risk.

Before general anesthesia is performed, the anesthesiologist talks with the parents and examines the child, and only then does he give permission for the operation. He tells parents in detail about what kind of anesthesia is planned and how much preoperative preparation is needed, what is required from parents and the baby himself to the best of age.


Before introducing the baby into anesthesia, it is recommended that one of the parents (or relatives, guardians) be directly with him until he falls asleep and enters the anesthesia state. To introduce a child into a state of anesthesia, special masks and breathing devices of only a child type are used, selected strictly by age.

After the children enter drug-induced sleep, doctors use drugs in order to achieve maximum relaxation of the muscles and achieve complete pain relief. While the child is under anesthesia, surgeons proceed to surgical intervention. Throughout the operation, the anesthesiologist monitors the vital signs of the child under anesthesia, and, if necessary, regulates the supply of drugs. As the operation is completed, the doctor reduces the concentration of drugs in the dropper or in the inhaled mixture, which leads to the fact that the child comes to his senses. While the baby is under anesthesia, his consciousness is completely turned off, he does not feel pain impulses, breathing usually occurs due to the ventilator, and the monitors display pulse and pressure indicators, blood oxygenation and some others.

What happens after anesthesia

The exit from the state of anesthesia is largely determined by the type of drug and the rate of its removal from the plasma. A child can fully recover after anesthesia for two or more hours, and sometimes even earlier through the use of modern methods. However, even if the child feels well and the operation is successful, the anesthesiologist carefully observes the child for the first few hours after anesthesia. At this time, children often complain of nausea or vomiting, pain in the wound area may be felt. In infants, after anesthesia, the usual regimen may go astray for a while.

Today, due to the fact that operations are becoming less and less traumatic, they try to activate patients already on the very first day after anesthesia. If the operation was small, the children can move, and sometimes even get up after two or three hours, if the operation was more extensive, after 4 or more hours. Only in case of a serious condition or the need for resuscitation measures, constant monitoring, children are transferred to intensive care and intensive care units (usually this happens with very extensive and difficult operations, where there is a large blood loss or duration of intervention, many incisions and wounds).


During the operation, doctors will do everything possible to minimize the risk of complications, however, the body is a complex system, and not all of its reactions can be predicted. Children may experience complications as a result of taking medications, bleeding as a result of tissue dissection, as well as the body's reaction to the disease itself and unforeseen circumstances that could only be clarified with intervention. Allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock to administered medications, are rightfully considered the most basic of the complications. There may also be febrile reactions to the use of anesthesia, which will require special lytic therapy during the intervention. In addition, there may be complications of the operation itself - bleeding, thrombosis, which doctors eliminate in a timely manner and, if possible, warn in advance.

Numerous rumors and myths surrounding this topic prevent them from making an adequate decision. Which of them is true and which is speculation? To comment on the main parental fears associated with pediatric anesthesia, we asked one of the leading experts in this field, head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Therapy of the Moscow Research Institute of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, professor, doctor of medical sciences Andrey Lekmanov.

Myth: “Anesthesia is dangerous. What if my baby does not wake up after the operation?

In fact A: This happens very rarely. According to world statistics, this happens in 1 out of 100,000 elective surgeries. In this case, most often the fatal outcome is associated not with the reaction to anesthesia, but with the surgical intervention itself.

In order for everything to go smoothly, any operation (with the exception of emergency cases, when hours or even minutes count) is preceded by thorough preparation, during which the doctor assesses the health of a small patient and his readiness for anesthesia, focusing on the mandatory examination of the child and studies that include: complete blood count, blood clotting test, urinalysis, ECG, etc. If a child has ARVI, high fever, exacerbation of a concomitant disease, elective surgery is postponed for at least a month.

Myth: “Modern anesthetics are good for sleeping, but they are bad for pain relief. A child can feel everything

In fact: Such a situation is excluded by the exact choice of the dosage of the surgical anesthetic, which is calculated based on the individual parameters of the child, the main of which is weight.

But that's not all. Today, no operation is performed without monitoring the condition of a small patient with the help of special sensors attached to his body, which evaluate the pulse, respiratory rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Many children's hospitals in our country have the most modern technology, including monitors that measure the depth of anesthesia, the degree of relaxation (muscle relaxation) of the patient and allow with a high degree of accuracy to track the slightest deviations in the condition of a small patient during the operation.

Experts never tire of repeating: the main purpose of anesthesia is to make sure that the child is not present at his own operation, whether it is a long-term surgical intervention or a small but traumatic diagnostic study.

Myth: “Inhalation anesthesia is yesterday. The most modern - intravenous "

In fact: 60–70% of surgical interventions for children are performed using inhalation (hardware-mask) anesthesia, in which the child receives an anesthetic in the form of an inhalation mixture while breathing on his own. This type of anesthesia eliminates or significantly reduces the need for complex combinations of potent pharmacological agents characteristic of intravenous anesthesia and is characterized by much greater room for maneuver for the anesthetist and finer control of the depth of anesthesia.

Myth: “If possible, it is better to do without anesthesia. In any case, during dental procedures "

In fact: There is no need to be afraid to treat a child's teeth under general anesthesia. If the treatment is associated with surgical intervention (tooth extraction, abscesses, etc.), with a large amount of dental procedures (treatment of multiple caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, etc.), with the use of equipment and instruments that can scare the child, without anesthesia is indispensable. In addition, this allows the dentist to focus specifically on treatment, without being distracted by calming the little patient.

However, only a clinic that has a state license for anesthesiology and resuscitation, which is equipped with all the necessary equipment and has a staff of qualified, experienced pediatric anesthesiologists and resuscitators, has the right to use general anesthesia in the dental treatment of children. It won't be difficult to check this.

Myth: “Narcosis damages brain cells, causing a violation of cognitive (cognitive) functions in a child, reducing his school performance, memory and attention”

In fact: . And although in most cases this does not affect memory, it is with the conduct of general anesthesia that impaired cognitive functions are often associated in children and adults who have undergone extensive, time-consuming surgery. Usually, cognitive abilities are restored within a few days after anesthesia. And here a lot depends on the skill of the anesthesiologist, on how adequately he performed anesthesia, as well as on the individual characteristics of the small patient.

General anesthesia is a procedure by which the patient's autonomic reactions are suppressed, turning off his consciousness. Despite the fact that anesthesia has been used for a very long time, the need for its use, especially in children, causes a lot of fears and concerns among parents. What is the danger of general anesthesia for a child?

General anesthesia: is it necessary?

Many parents are sure that general anesthesia is very dangerous for their child, but they cannot say for sure what exactly. One of the main fears is that the child may not wake up after the operation.. Such cases are indeed recorded, but they occur extremely rarely. Most often, painkillers have nothing to do with them, and death occurs as a result of the surgical intervention itself.

Before performing anesthesia, the specialist receives written permission from the parents. However, before refusing to use it, you should think carefully, as some cases require the mandatory use of complex anesthesia.

Usually, general anesthesia is used if it is necessary to turn off the child’s consciousness, protect him from fear, pain and prevent the stress that the baby will experience while being present at his own operation, which can negatively affect his still fragile psyche.

Before using general anesthesia, contraindications are identified by a specialist, and a decision is made: is there really a need for it.

Drug-induced deep sleep allows doctors to perform lengthy and complex surgical interventions. Usually the procedure is used in pediatric surgery, when pain relief is vital., for example, with severe congenital heart defects and other abnormalities. However, anesthesia is not such a harmless procedure.

Preparation for the procedure

It is wiser to prepare the baby for the upcoming anesthesia in just 2-5 days. To do this, he is prescribed hypnotics and sedatives that affect metabolic processes.

About half an hour before anesthesia, the baby can be given atropine, pipolfen or promedol - drugs that enhance the effect of the main anesthetic drugs and help avoid their negative effects.

Before performing the manipulation, the baby is given an enema and the contents are removed from the bladder. 4 hours before the operation, the intake of food and water is completely excluded, since during the intervention vomiting may begin, in which vomit can enter the organs of the respiratory system and cause respiratory arrest. In some cases, gastric lavage is done.

The procedure is performed using a mask or a special tube that is placed in the trachea.. Together with oxygen, anesthetic medicine comes out of the device. In addition, anesthetics are administered intravenously to alleviate the condition of a small patient.

How does anesthesia affect a child?

Currently the probability of severe consequences for the child's body from anesthesia is 1-2%. However, many parents are sure that anesthesia will adversely affect their baby.

Due to the peculiarities of the growing organism, this type of anesthesia in children proceeds somewhat differently. Most often, clinically proven drugs of a new generation are used for anesthesia, which are allowed in pediatric practice. Such drugs have a minimum of side effects and are quickly removed from the body. That is why the effect of anesthesia on the child, as well as any negative consequences, are minimized.

Thus, it is possible to predict the duration of exposure to the used dose of the drug, and, if necessary, repeat anesthesia.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, anesthesia facilitates the patient's condition and can help the surgeon's work.

The introduction of nitric oxide, the so-called "laughing gas", into the body leads to the fact that children who have undergone surgery under general anesthesia most often do not remember anything.

Diagnosis of complications

Even if a small patient is well prepared before the operation, this does not guarantee the absence of complications associated with anesthesia. That is why specialists should be aware of all possible negative effects of drugs, common dangerous consequences, probable causes, as well as ways to prevent and eliminate them.

Adequate and timely detection of complications that have arisen after the use of anesthesia plays a huge role. During the operation, as well as after it, the anesthesiologist must carefully monitor the condition of the baby.

To do this, the specialist takes into account all the manipulations performed, and also enters the results of the analyzes into a special card.

The map should include:

  • heart rate indicators;
  • breathing rate;
  • temperature readings;
  • the amount of blood transfused and other indicators.

These data are strictly painted by the hour. Such measures will allow any violations to be detected in time and quickly eliminate them..

Early consequences

The effect of general anesthesia on the child's body depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. Most often, the complications that arise after the baby returns to consciousness are not much different from the reaction to anesthesia in adults.

The most commonly observed negative effects are:

  • the appearance of allergies, anaphylaxis, Quincke's edema;
  • disorder of the heart, arrhythmia, incomplete blockade of the bundle of His;
  • increased weakness, drowsiness. Most often, such conditions disappear on their own, after 1-2 hours;
  • increase in body temperature. It is considered normal, however, if the mark reaches 38 ° C, there is a possibility of infectious complications. Having identified the cause of this condition, the doctor prescribes antibiotics;
  • nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are treated with antiemetics such as Cerucal;
  • headaches, feeling of heaviness and squeezing in the temples. Usually they do not require special treatment, however, with prolonged pain symptoms, the specialist prescribes painkillers;
  • pain in the postoperative wound. A common consequence after surgery. To eliminate it, antispasmodics or analgesics can be used;
  • fluctuations in blood pressure. Usually observed as a result of a large blood loss or after a blood transfusion;
  • falling into a coma.

Any drug used for local or general anesthesia can be toxic to the patient's liver tissues and lead to liver dysfunction.

Side effects of drugs used for anesthesia depend on the specific drug. Knowing about all the negative effects of the drug, you can avoid many dangerous consequences, one of which is liver damage:

  • Ketamine, often used in anesthesia, can provoke psychomotor overexcitation, seizures, hallucinations.
  • Sodium oxybutyrate. May cause convulsions when used in high doses;
  • Succinylcholine and drugs based on it often provoke bradycardia, which threatens to stop the activity of the heart - asystole;
  • Muscle relaxants used for general pain relief can lower blood pressure.

Fortunately, serious consequences are extremely rare.

Late Complications

Even if the surgical intervention went without complications, there were no reactions to the means used, this does not mean that there was no negative impact on the children's body. Late complications may appear after some time, even after several years..

Dangerous long-term effects include:

  • cognitive impairment: memory disorder, difficulty in logical thinking, difficulty concentrating on objects. In these cases, it is difficult for the child to study at school, he is often distracted, cannot read books for a long time;
  • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These disorders are expressed by excessive impulsivity, a tendency to frequent injuries, restlessness;
  • susceptibility to headaches, migraine attacks, which are difficult to drown out with painkillers;
  • frequent dizziness;
  • the appearance of convulsive contractions in the muscles of the legs;
  • slowly progressive pathologies of the liver and kidneys.

The safety and comfort of the surgical intervention, as well as the absence of any dangerous consequences, often depend on the professionalism of the anesthetist and surgeon.

Consequences for babies 1-3 years old

Due to the fact that the central nervous system in young children is not fully formed, the use of general anesthesia can adversely affect their development and general condition. In addition to Attention Deficit Disorder, Pain Relief Can Cause Brain Disorder, and lead to the following complications:

  • Slow physical development. Medicines used in anesthesia can disrupt the formation of the parathyroid gland, which is responsible for the growth of the baby. In these cases, he may lag behind in growth, but subsequently is able to catch up with his peers.
  • Disturbance of psychomotor development. Such children learn to read late, it is difficult to remember numbers, they pronounce words incorrectly, and build sentences.
  • epileptic seizures. These violations are quite rare, however, there have been several cases of epilepsy after surgical interventions using general anesthesia.

Is it possible to prevent complications

It is impossible to say for sure whether there will be any consequences after the operation in babies, as well as at what time and how they can manifest themselves. However, you can reduce the likelihood of negative reactions in the following ways:

  • Before the operation, the child's body must be fully examined by passing all the tests prescribed by the doctor.
  • After surgery, you should use drugs that improve cerebral circulation, as well as vitamin and mineral complexes prescribed by a neuropathologist. Most often, B vitamins, piracetam, cavinton are used.
  • Carefully monitor the condition of the baby. After the operation, parents need to monitor its development even after some time. If any deviations appear, it is worth visiting a specialist once again to eliminate possible risks.

Having decided on the procedure, the specialist compares the need to perform it with the possible harm. Even after learning about the likely complications, you should not refuse surgical procedures: not only health, but also the life of the child may depend on this. The most important thing is to be attentive to his health and not self-medicate.

Often anesthesia scares people, sometimes even more than surgery. The most fearful thing is the unknown and possible discomfort when falling asleep and waking up. Do not tune in to the positive and numerous conversations that it is dangerous to health. It becomes especially alarming when it comes to the fact that the operation will be performed on a child, and in children it causes negative consequences.

Children's anesthesia - how safe is it for a young organism?

Operations under anesthesia in children are carried out according to the same rules as in adults, taking into account age characteristics. In children, due to anatomical and physiological characteristics, more often than in adults, there are critical conditions, the removal of which requires resuscitation and intensive care. However, in modern medicine, only sparing means are used that can put an adult and a child into an artificially induced deep sleep.

Anesthesia for children is a loss of consciousness caused by a set of special drugs. It may include many manipulations aimed at facilitating the process of falling asleep, surgery, and awakening. Among the activities carried out are:

    • Setting up drips.
    • Installation of a control system, compensation for blood loss.
    • Prevention of the consequences of the operation.

Parents should understand the essence and risk of anesthesia, the features of the types of anesthesia and contraindications to its use, be sure to tell the doctor:

      • How was the pregnancy and childbirth?
      • what was the type of feeding: breastfeeding (how long) or artificial;
      • what the child was sick with;
      • reactions to vaccinations;
      • whether he and his next of kin have allergies.

All this is especially important for young children, you need to ask the anesthetist questions if something is not clear, and the final decision on which anesthesia or anesthesia to carry out is up to the doctor!

Types of pain relief techniques used

In medical practice, there are several types of anesthesia:

      • Inhalation or hardware-mask - the patient receives a dose of painkillers in the form of an inhalation mixture. It is used when carrying out short simple operations.

See its action and main stages in this video:

      • Intramuscular anesthesia for children today is practically not used. Because he cannot control the duration of sleep. The drug Ketamine used is harmful to the body. It can turn off long-term memory for almost 6 months, which affects the full development.
      • Intravenous - has a multicomponent pharmacological effect on the body. Ventilation of the lungs is performed by a special apparatus. Anesthesia is used for children extremely rarely, only when absolutely necessary.

Are there contraindications?

Anesthesia for children can always be carried out, with the exception of the refusal of the patient or relatives from the procedure. However, before carrying out a planned operation, it is important to take into account all the nuances, features:

      • The presence of pathologies of a different nature that can negatively affect the condition during sleep and recovery.
      • If the patient has recently had ARVI or another viral infection, the operation should be postponed for several weeks until the body is fully restored.
      • The presence of allergies to drugs. The doctor examines the records in the card in detail. In case of finding out about the presence of an allergy to medicines, he immediately changes the tactics of action.
      • Health features - high fever, runny nose.

Before surgery, the anesthesiologist examines the patient's card in detail, noting all the points that may affect the method of anesthesia. In addition, a conversation is held with parents, in which important points are clarified.

How to prepare a child for anesthesia?

According to modern concepts, any surgical interventions, painful procedures, diagnostic studies in children (especially younger ones) should be carried out under anesthesia or sedation! Young children simply do not know what is ahead of them, and no premedication is needed.

Regardless of the type of anesthesia under which the operation is planned, the patient is preliminarily prepared for surgical intervention.
Age groups of children: newborns, up to 6 months, 6-12 months, 1-3 years, 4-6 years,
7-9 years old, 10-12 years old, over 12 years old.

The anesthesiologist takes an active part in preparing the child for surgery. During planned operations, all preparation can be divided into general medical and pre-anesthesia: psychological and pharmacological premedication. An obstetric history is important: how the pregnancy and childbirth went (on time or not), the anthropometric data of the child - the correspondence of body weight and height to his age, psychomotor development, visible disorders of the musculoskeletal system, behavioral reactions.

Psychological preparation: hospitalization for a child is a difficult moral test, he is frightened by separation from his mother, people in white coats, the environment, and so on. The anesthesiologist, the attending physician and the ward nurse help and explain to the mother how to behave.

Doctors recommend not always telling the baby about what is to come. The exceptions are cases when the disease interferes with him, and he wants to get rid of it. However, if the children are old enough, it is necessary to explain that a special children's will be held, as a result of which they will fall asleep and wake up when everything has already been done and there will be no trace of the past illness.

It is desirable that the baby is calm and not afraid. It is necessary to provide rest both emotional and physical. The main thing that parents need to remember is that the baby should wake up after anesthesia and see the dearest and closest people to him.
Once again about the most important thing in this video:

General anesthesia: consequences for the child's body

Much depends on the professionalism of the anesthetist, since it is he who selects the necessary dosage of drugs used in anesthesia. The result of the work of a good specialist is the child's being in an unconscious state during the period necessary for surgical intervention, and a favorable recovery from this state after the operation.

Crane rarely happens intolerance to drugs or their components. It is possible to predict such a reaction only if the patient's blood relatives had it. Now we will list the consequences that may arise as a result of drug intolerance, but we note once again that this is an extremely rare case (only 1-2% probability):

  • anaphylactic shock;
  • malignant hyperemia. A sharp rise in temperature to 42-43 degrees.
  • cardiovascular insufficiency;
  • respiratory failure;
  • aspiration. Ejection of stomach contents into the respiratory tract.

Some studies also suggest that anesthesia can damage the neurons in a child's brain, leading to cognitive impairment. At the same time, memory processes are disturbed: absent-mindedness, inattention, deterioration in learning and mental development appear for some period after the operation. These processes are opposed by a number of factors:

  1. the likelihood of such consequences is highest with intramuscular anesthesia using Ketamine. Now a similar method and drug is practically not used for children.
  2. children under two years of age are at greater risk. Therefore, operations under anesthesia, if possible, are postponed for a period after 2 years.
  3. the validity of the conclusions made by only a few studies has not been conclusively proven.
  4. these symptoms pass quite quickly, and operations are done in connection with real health problems of the child. It turns out that the need for anesthesia exceeds the possible temporary consequences of it.

Parents should understand that the condition of their baby throughout the operation and for 2 hours after it is monitored by modern medical equipment and staff. Even if there are any consequences, he will be provided with the necessary assistance in time.

Anesthesia is an ally that helps the child get rid of health problems in a painless way. Therefore, parents should not worry too much.

In modern medicine, anesthesia is a sparing tactical means, the use of which during an operation is a must.

If you have any questions - we will be happy to answer them. Health to your children!

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Related questions

    Tatyana 10/16/2018 09:43

    Good afternoon. On October 1, we had an operation to remove adenoids under general anesthesia. At first, the daughter (4 years old) complained of headaches. After 12-14 days, she periodically began to complain that she could not open her eyes. I thought maybe it was the vinegar fumes, or the smell of onions (complaints in the kitchen). Then it happened more often after waking up. It opens well, then the eyes could not stand being open. And this is not only in the sun but also in the shade. Today, she still couldn't open her eyes completely. Difficulty blinking or eyes closed. Whether there can be it a consequence of an anesthesia? And what can be done?

    Valentine 17.09.2018 20:37

    Good evening! My son is 4 years and 9 months old, he broke his arm, two bones were broken, one bone was displaced. On the day of the fracture on 11.09, general anesthesia was performed, one bone was straightened, the second remained fractured with displacement. A week later, on September 19, re-administration under general anesthesia. Help with advice, please, is it very dangerous? What consequences?

    Olga 27.08.2018 18:33

    Good afternoon. The child had the first operation in March, repeated in early August. In both cases, general anesthesia was used. After the first operation, there was an increase in weight, insignificant, but we cannot reduce the weight. Could anesthesia affect metabolism?

    Evgenia 08/25/2018 00:09

    Hello, Doctor! After the operation to remove the adenoids, my grandson (3 years and 4 months) is not only whiny and nervous, but he has strange psychoses: for example, he demands to go from home to the bus stop again and come back just because his mother did not give him a hand, or got out of the house first, instead of letting him out. Or suddenly he demands to feed his little sister with cucumber in the middle of the night and cries loudly, hysterically, until he achieves his goal .... We are at a loss. We don't know what to do. I think that he just has whims, but it turns out that general anesthesia has a very bad effect on the child's psyche. What do we do now? How to treat it? Help me please!!! Sincerely, Evgenia Grosh

    Vladislav 06/07/2018 12:26

    Hello. My mom had a very "rapid" delivery with me, my head was half blue. At the age of six, and this is 1994, to the surprise of my mother and doctors, hemorrhoids of the acute stage came out. In the hospital, I had three operations under general anesthesia, a year later two more operations, also under general anesthesia. At the age of 12, a knee injury and again general anesthesia. Now I am 29 years old. From about the age of 7 until the age of 20, I constantly suffered from headaches and low blood pressure. Now my head hurts very rarely, but I understand that weakness, drowsiness are my enemies for life. I also see the diagnosis "bradycardia" at regular medical examinations from work every year. Is my state of endless weakness a consequence of 6 general anesthesias in childhood?

    Alexander 05/28/2018 11:05

    Hello, my child is 10 years old. When falling from a height, he hit his head and received a moderate (or severe, I don’t know exactly) concussion. (there was a short-term loss of consciousness about 30-60 seconds), memory loss (does not remember what happened immediately before the fall and the fall itself), also broke his forearm (both radius bones). In traumatology, a plaster cast was immediately applied, but with a second x-ray after 1 day, it was found that the displacement persisted. Doctors say it is necessary to do general anesthesia and combine the bone. Question: Is anesthesia dangerous on the third day after a concussion, and is general anesthesia really necessary for a 10 (almost 11) year old child? Maybe it was possible to get by with a local (after all, he is not quite small and is able to sit quietly)? Thanks in advance for your reply!

    Inna 19.04.2018 17:10

    Hello. Dear doctor, tell me, please - my son (7 full years old) had an operation to remove appendicitis (with peritonitis) in February. Now we are going to have an operation to remove two hernias (umbilical and white line of the abdomen). How dangerous is it to do general anesthesia after such a short period of time? THANKS!

    Guzel 04/06/2018 13:41

    Good afternoon doctor. The child is 2 months old, we were sent for an MRI (diagnosis of paresis of the III cranial nerves on the left, partial ptosis of the upper eyelid on the left, ophthalmoplegia), but the child fell ill, the child has snot. Can I have an MRI immediately after recovery or do I have to wait a while? And one more question: I'm going to be under general anesthesia. How dangerous is this for a child?

    Elena 31.03.2018 20:54

    Hello doctor, a child of 12 years old needs to have a papilloma removed on the palatine arch, doctors insist on general anesthesia. What modern drugs are currently used. What to talk about with an anesthesiologist?

    Anastasia 03/27/2018 21:28

    Hello. Please advise what consequences can be after anesthesia, is it worth doing the operation now, or is it better to wait up to 2 years? Situation: the baby is 4 months old, we have polydactyly, the 6th finger (on the big one 2 pcs). At what age is it better to have an operation, because now the (thumb) finger is growing, and it becomes uneven due to the second ..?

    Natalia 03/27/2018 07:38

    Hello. Tomorrow, my son, 6 years old, will have treatment and extraction of teeth under mask anesthesia. The anesthesiologist said that for 21 days there should be no snot. what is it connected with? I understand that SARS should not be transferred, but snot if they are dry indoors in the morning?

    Lily 03/02/2018 14:50

    Hello, Doctor! a child of 5 years old, on Monday, March 5, goes to a planned operation to remove a nevus on the thigh. the child was born prematurely at 33-34 weeks, of course, there was hypoxia and a slight cerebral edema, he was on a ventilator. up to a year, hydrocephalic syndrome was detected, which was treated with diacarb. at 1 year and 4 months they received CTBI, they were in the hospital, after that epilepsy (absences) was questionable, but the doctors themselves do not know if there is or not, who says what is, who is not. Now, according to my observations, everything is calm. at the moment there is a small anomaly in the development of the heart. before the operation, as expected, a general blood test was done, all indicators are normal, but NEU is lowered by 34.2% at a rate of 40.0-75.0, LYM is increased by 41.6% at a rate of 2.01-40.0, MON is increased by 9.6% at a rate of 3.0-7.0, EO is increased by 13.1 %! at a rate of 0.0-5.0. Please tell me: 1 is it possible to carry out general anesthesia in our case? 2 Do ECG and allergy tests for anesthesia before surgery? 3 What kind of anesthesia is used everywhere when removing nevi?

    Natalya 16.01.2018 00:25

    Hello, Doctor. Please tell me how to prepare a child 1.9 for surgery? The operation is due in two months., there is still breastfeeding, mainly at night, the question is: wean the child now from the breast or after the operation, will the baby help or harm during the operation? Thanks in advance for your reply.

    Victoria 12.12.2017 13:50

    Hello. My son (3.5 years old) was scheduled for a planned operation to remove an umbilical hernia and a hernia of the white line of the abdomen. 10 days left. The child has not had a rash for about three weeks now (manifestation of an allergy), from time to time complained of pain in the abdomen (now it seems to be gone). The cause of the allergy has not been established. Is it possible to do an operation or is it more reasonable to first undergo an examination by a gastroenterologist, to identify the cause of the operation? If so, how long should it take for the rash to go away? Thank you!

    Marina 11/28/2017 22:48

    Hello! We are scheduled for a planned operation in the sky (cleft palate, soft palate) in 6 days, on the other side of the country. They waited for their turn for a long time - 6 months, they passed all the examinations - everything is fine. But the child picked up the virus: The snot is liquid and coughs. Tell me, is this a contraindication to surgery? Or is it possible to give antibiotics for a couple of days and go to the operation? Is it possible to do surgery / anesthesia with snot if we do not have time to cure it? And what could be the consequences? Thanks for the answer!

    ANNA 11/16/2017 08:25

    Hello, a 2-year-old child was scheduled for an operation (general anesthesia), after 10 days the operation, but we caught a cold, we were prescribed the antibiotic cephalexin. Are there any contraindications to general anesthesia after its use? There will be nothing wrong if we drink it and go to the operation

    Julia 13.11.2017 20:01

    The dear doctor, I ask you prompt. Treatment of 2 front teeth for a son aged 1, 10 months, after a blow, a flux formed on the gum. Treatment options are available with or without anesthesia. Carry out under intravenous anesthesia so as not to injure the child's psyche, or treat in spite of fear - but refraining from anesthesia? Is it right not to resort to anesthesia in such a critical situation? Thanks in advance!

    Olga 09.11.2017 11:20

    Hello, the child is 2.2 years old, at 1.3 g, an operation was performed to remove the inguinal-scrotal hernia, at 1.5 g there was a relapse (they operated on at 1.9 g), now there is a relapse again, there will again be an operation under general anesthesia, what could be the consequences of general anesthesia so often?

    Fagana 03.11.2017 02:54

    Hello, my son is 2 months old, we want to have a circumcision, they will probably do it under anesthesia, please tell me whether it is worth subjecting the body of a small child to anesthesia at this age, or if there is no need to wait for it to grow up?

    Antonina 01.11.2017 22:14

    Hello. Daughter is exactly 2 years old. Found an inguinal hernia on the right. An operation is coming. We cannot decide between laparoscopy and abdominal method. The surgeon said that in the first case anesthesia will last 30-40 minutes, and in the second 10 minutes. Tell me, is the difference of 20-30 minutes under anesthesia so harmful, as the doctor claims? The first method is more gentle, as well as the postoperative period is easier, we see only pluses. The child is capricious and very mobile, therefore we do not want a cavity. It is only this difference in time under anesthesia that hinders the choice of laparoscopy. Thank you.

    Julia Prokhorova 10/19/2017 16:53

    Hello, we have an inguinal hernia confirmed at 2 months old, now our daughter is 6 months old. We are advised to wait with the operation for up to a year, but there is no strength to wait and suffer, the child tries to crawl and the hernia protrudes. We, the parents, are afraid that the infringement can be at any moment . The child's tests are good (blood and urine), she is mobile and develops on time, she was born at 39 weeks with hypoxia, according to Apgar scores 7-8, the diagnosis is perinatal damage to the central nervous system of hypoxic-inschemic origin, PVC on the right is 1-2 st, pseudocyst of the left vascular plexus .response to vaccination against pneumococcus-temperature 38°C. Is an operation possible with such diagnoses at 6 months?

    Eugene 10/17/2017 18:57

    Hello! A boil was cut out for a boy at 2.9, i.e. was general anesthesia. Now I discovered that we have an inguinal hernia, you can’t confuse it with anything. I don't think we can do without surgery. Tell the doctor how harmful anesthesia will be if the interval between operations is only 2-3 months? And what consequences can be after such operation. Thanks in advance for your reply.

    Olga 13.08.2017 15:44

    The child is 2.6 years old. Laryngoscopy and cryodestruction of soft tissues were performed. Mask anesthesia, after 20 minutes the child woke up. After 8 days, they want to do laryngoscopy again under anesthesia. Is it often possible?

    Olga 08/09/2017 15:46

    The child is 1.10 months old and is going to have an operation under general anesthesia. The diagnosis is stenosing ligamentitis of the 1st left hand. Question: what kind of anesthesia is given to children at this age and is there any point in waiting until 2 years old

    Yana 08/07/2017 00:07

    My daughter (4.5 years old) has grade 3 adenoids and hypertrophied tonsils. Breathing is difficult, ENT recommends removal. BUT, because daughter is registered with a neurologist (absences), then the hospital asked for a conclusion from a neurologist that general anesthesia can be done. A neurologist does not give a conclusion without an examination in a hospital where you need to do an MRI under anesthesia. And it turns out a vicious circle. Is it possible to do an MRI under anesthesia for adenoids?

    Marina 05.08.2017 20:03

    Hello! My child is 5 years old, she broke 2 bones of her arm with a displacement, they tried to set them intravenously under anesthesia, but it didn’t work out. The needles were inserted under general anesthesia, after 1.5 months the needles were removed under anesthesia. Half a year later, the arm was again fractured with sciatica, it was set under anesthesia, after 2 weeks in the picture - displacement, the orthopedist suggests again under anesthesia to set the bone. Is such frequent administration of anesthesia 5 times in six months dangerous for the body, what are the consequences?

    Love 13.07.2017 11:48

    Hello, Doctor! My grandson had a papilloma removed from his cheek two days ago. They did it under anesthesia-mask, the whole procedure took about 20 minutes, I quickly and easily came to my senses. The wound is tiny. They were supposed to be discharged tomorrow, but the daughter wrote a refusal and took it today, because. there are many patients, every day they were transferred from ward to ward. He had a fever and vomited twice. Whether it is a consequence of an anesthesia. No one in our family had allergies or drug intolerance.

    Natalya 07/05/2017 19:00

    Good afternoon! Son 1.2. A month ago, on the back, closer to the right shoulder blade, I found a bump (not hard, painless, does not grow). The doctors said it was either a lipoma or another tumor. They told me to go in for surgery. That only after the operation they will say what it is. Scared of a malignant tumor. Is it possible to somehow determine what kind of cells these are before the operation? The child is only a year old, anesthesia scares me twice. Before the operation, CT under anesthesia and at the operation again anesthesia. Is there a chance that education will dissolve? Appeared sharply at once with a size of 2 * 3 cm.

    Ekaterina 06/22/2017 00:51

    Hello, Doctor! Son is 10 years old. Next week, a scheduled operation to remove the inguinal-scrotal hernia is due. Which anesthesia is better and safer at this age? Is anesthesia safe if the ECG showed the following: sinus arrhythmia heart rate 68-89 beats / min; vertical direction of the EOS; incomplete blockade of the right leg of the Hiss bundle. Is it possible to use general anesthesia with such an ECG? Unfortunately, we do not have a pediatric cardiologist in our city. Many thanks in advance for your reply!

    Eugene 14.06.2017 12:21

    Hello. A 6-year-old girl was prescribed cutting of the frenulums: under the tongue and upper lip. They offer general or local anesthesia. They advise a general one so that the child is not afraid. But is general anesthesia justified for such a minor operation, which will take no more than 10 minutes?

    Natalia 05/24/2017 13:45

    Hello. My baby is 2.5 months old. You will have a cystoscopy under general anesthesia. A week ago, a runny nose appeared, aquamaris dripped, saline solution, snot did not go away in a week. When he sucks through his nose, he breathes normally, otherwise he "grunts". The operation is planned. Should I go to bed for surgery or is it better to wait?

    Ekaterina 05/11/2017 09:48

    Hello! This coming Monday, a 9-month-old baby will have an operation with anesthesia. The diagnosis is hypospadias. The last few days the child has a runny nose. Washing and instillation of the Nose did not improve the situation significantly. Is it possible to give anesthesia with a cold or is it better to postpone the operation?

    Christina 09.05.2017 08:07

    Hello dear doctor. I have this question. Child 1.7 will have surgery for craniostenosis. I'm sooooo worried about long-term anesthesia. Since we were born at 30 weeks and at birth, we were diagnosed with PTCNS of hypoxic-ischemic genesis. From birth to this day, the child was treated so that there was no lag in psychomotor development. And now the first long-term anesthesia is coming. Tell me how to act later so that anesthesia does not affect psychomotor and speech development, does not start a delay or stop talking altogether?

    Victoria 05/08/2017 00:41

    Hello, Doctor! We really need your opinion! My child is 5 years old, they put adenoids of 2-3 degrees. He sleeps with his mouth open, does not snore, his mouth is also periodically open during the day, every month he has colds. They suggest an operation, but they did not ask about the characteristics of the child. We have minor anomalies of the heart, a functioning foramen ovale 2mm. , the cardiogram is normal, we are observed by a neurologist (sent to an encephalogram), during childbirth there were complications of asphyxia, a constantly cyanotic color of the bridge of the nose and nasolabial triangle, also an allergy to washing powder and certain types of drugs. About two months ago I had otitis media. Adenoids were checked two weeks after a cold. Ketamine is offered intravenously for five to ten minutes. Is it possible to use anesthesia for my child with such indications, because I do not agree to local anesthesia, or is it better for us to do an encephalogram first? Or do you need to give up and wait?

    Anna 20.04.2017 12:39

    Hello! My daughter is 4 years old, she needs to do an SCT of the nose and sinuses, but she refuses to lie down! What tests do I need to pass for anesthesia?

    Ekaterina 04/20/2017 10:20

    Hello, the child is a year and 5 months old. We were diagnosed with ataxia. I want to do an MRI of the brain in order to clearly understand the whole picture of what this ataxia is, so that they can prescribe the right treatment. But the neurologist and osteopath dissuade that anesthesia is very dangerous. risk of MRI under anesthesia for ataxia?

    Anastasia 04/05/2017 19:39

    Dear doctor, my son is 1.5 years old, a month and a half ago, an inguinal hernia was discovered, the surgeon signed up for a planned operation to remove it, he is afraid of general anesthesia, the doctor says it is more dangerous not to have an operation. How dangerous is anesthesia, which method of anesthesia is safer, do you need any restorative drugs after anesthesia? Thanks in advance!

    Elena 03/27/2017 00:31

    Hello. My son is 2 years and 4 months old. Behind in the upper part of the thigh, a neoplasm was found. According to the conclusion of the ultrasound myoma, the dimensions are 40 mm by 20 mm. Doesn't bother, doesn't hurt. The ultrasound doctor advises not to operate, as he claims that this is a benign formation, the surgeon advises to operate ... What do you say? I'm very afraid of surgery, especially anesthesia, I'm afraid of any complications ... anything can happen ... What kind of anesthesia is acceptable in our case? Thank you in advance!

    Svetlana 25.03.2017 12:40

    Hello, Doctor. Daughter 10 months. On Tuesday, March 21, the child underwent an operation to remove a hemangioma (dermal-subcutaneous, diameter 5 cm) on the back. Indurated because the operation was performed in the side position. On Wednesday morning, after the dressing, the attending physician said that he would not be discharged yet, because the babies may have distant reactions to anesthesia, and swelling remained on the wound. On Wednesday, at 6 pm, the child began to vomit, which remained after the injection of cerucal, by night the temperature rose above 39, they knocked down analgin with diphenhydramine, it went down only to 38, by morning it began to rise. There was no vomiting on Thursday. There was no diarrhea, there was loose stools once or twice a day. Tell me, please, is such a reaction really possible a day after the operation? With the permission of the doctors, I fed the child with the usual diet, that is, cereals, vegetable, meat and fruit purees, although canned, industrial production. At home she supplemented with expressed breast milk, but in the hospital it was not possible to express, she supplemented with a mixture of nan1. Before the operation, we treated dysbacteriosis (Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus) for 8 months. The analysis before the operation was normal (Klebsiella was within the normal range, staphylococcus was not detected). Have you encountered such cases in your practice? Or is it an intestinal infection, or poor-quality puree, or teeth (only 1 grew, the second one swelled), or a reaction to medications, or did it all coincide and was aggravated by the operation? Now the child has no vomiting and no temperature, for three days he was put on drips with glucose and Ringer's solution, and yesterday they also did ceftreaxone intravenously once. I give Acipol with water. I started eating myself last night - oatmeal on the water and a small amount of breast milk. Since morning there was a liquid chair once.

    Alexandra 21.03.2017 12:51

    Hello, in January 2017 there was an operation with general anesthesia for my son (6 years old), in May another operation with general anesthesia was prescribed for a different diagnosis, is the gap between anesthesia small and how to minimize the consequences of complications.

    Angela 15.03.2017 16:55

    Hello, my 9-year-old daughter has a seal on her foot under her finger, a granuloma is questionable, we are going to cut it out. The doctor wants to do general anesthesia, but I doubt it is necessary, is it not possible to do local anesthesia?

    Natalya 09.03.2017 04:47

    Hello. My child underwent angiography with embolization. There was a hemangioma on the cheek. After that, she was in intensive care for a day. Then they gave it to me. She ate and slept all day. The condition was lethargic. Now the third day after the procedure. Very capricious. Not so active. What I didn’t like so this crying for no reason is strong, it bends and rolls its eyes up. though this happened twice a day. we are 5 months old, they inject antibiotics. tomorrow bypass. but I would like to read your answer.

    Irina 03.03.2017 12:50

    Good afternoon! Three days ago, the child was treated for teeth under general anesthesia (intramuscularly). Thus we treat already the third time. Teeth decayed rapidly. 8 teeth were treated at once, the volume of destruction was large. The child was not given to doctors under any pretext, and therefore anesthesia was used. This time there were two removals and two fillings. The teeth that were removed were practically absent, therefore, again, anesthesia. For two nights the child wakes up and screams, for a short time, but very emotionally. During the day, too, unnecessarily excitable and anxious. Tell me, please, should we go to the doctors with this problem, or is it the consequences of stress and over time the situation will normalize. Thank you in advance

    Hope 03.03.2017 06:05

    Hello! The child is 6 years old, diagnosed with Ecdodermal ahydroctic dysplasia, i.e. dryness of all mucous membranes, impaired thermoregulation of the body. We want to do otoplasty under general anesthesia, please tell me if general anesthesia is possible?

    27.02.2017 14:27

    Sergei, in the hands of an experienced pediatric anesthesiologist, everything will go well. It is necessary to examine the child, anesthesia will not have a significant side effect.

    Cyril 22.02.2017 10:37

    Hello! The child is 1 year and 10 months old. She has strabismus, the doctor says it is necessary to have an operation under general anesthesia, either now or at 4 years 6 months old. We don’t know what to do, agree now or wait until 4 years old ??? age to make it safer for the health of the child ???

    Tatiana 19.02.2017 00:04

    Hello! A 4-year-old child has residual encephalopathy with mental retardation. We want to treat and remove teeth under general ketamine anesthesia. There is also an allergy in the form of rashes to certain drugs. They said that perhaps the teeth will be treated in 2 stages with an interval of a week, i.e. anesthesia will be 2 times. Is it possible to do such anesthesia for an allergic person? Will anesthesia affect the development of a child who is already lagging behind? Thank you.

    Zebo 12.02.2017 15:09

    Hello. A 5-month-old child is scheduled for an operation under anesthesia. They will operate on his hand for a born constriction of the left forearm. And his leukocytes are 12.9. Why is it dangerous?

    Angelina 27.01.2017 09:41

    Dear doctor, hello. My daughter is 16 years old, she is going to have an ENT operation. The anesthesiologist offers to choose anesthesia, says that there is a good paid and free one. In addition, they also offer a good paid injection (3000-5000 rubles) after anesthesia, so that the child "easily" comes to his senses. I doubt very much whether there is something similar in medicine. Help, please, to understand.

    Ulyana 24.01.2017 23:53

    Sergey Evgenievich, what do you think if a child (5 years old) has allergic rhinitis, manifested by nasal congestion at night on the one hand, seasonal rhinitis, can it be dangerous or a ban on performing an operation under anesthesia? Thanks in advance.

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