If your child is having their surgery under local anesthesia, please review the local anesthesia article. If you are unsure what type of anesthesia your child will receive for surgery, please ask your child’s health-care team.
What is general anesthesia?
General anesthesia is a mix of medicines that helps your child fall into a deep sleep. This means your child will not feel pain or remember their surgery, test, or treatment if they are receiving general anesthesia.
By reading this information and explaining it to your child, using words they can understand, you can support your them in feeling less nervous. You can also contact the pre-anesthesia clinic or your child's surgeon’s office to help you and your child prepare.
Who gives the general anesthesia?
The doctor who administers the general anesthetic is called an anesthesiologist. An anesthesiologist is a doctor who administers sedatives, pain relievers, and anesthetic drugs so that your child will sleep and will not be aware of anything during the surgery.
The anesthesiologist will care for your child and help your child cope with the effects of the general anesthesia. During your child's surgery the anesthesiologist will monitor your child's breathing, heartbeat, temperature and blood pressure. After the surgery, the anesthesiologist makes sure your child is comfortable and recovering well.
How general anesthesia is given
Your child is given general anesthesia either through a face mask or a small tube called an intravenous (IV) line placed in a vein. If your child is very nervous, they may be given some medicine before the surgery to relieve their anxiety. You can discuss this with the nurse or anesthesiologist before surgery.
A pre-anesthesia clinic appointment may be required depending on your child’s health history and the type of surgery. During this appointment you will be asked a series of questions about your child’s health history and current health so a plan can be made for the day of surgery.
Before receiving general anesthesia, the health-care team will provide guidelines on when to stop eating or drinking. You can review general fasting guidelines here.
The process of general anesthesia on the day of surgery
The process of induction of anesthesia (going to sleep) will be a bit different for everyone. Here are some general details of the journey for your child:
- Your child will go into the operating room (OR) with a nurse and/or doctor. Sometimes a parent can join their child as they enter the OR.
- Once your child is in the OR, the nurse and anesthesiologist will help them lay down on the bed and make sure they are comfortable.
- Monitors are attached to your child, which will help the health-care team look after them closely during surgery.
- There are different ways to go to sleep – sometimes through a mask and sometimes IV. The anesthesiologist will decide what the best option is for your child.
- If an IV is required, numbing cream may have been applied to the site to help reduce the discomfort of inserting the IV.
- The medicine given through the mask or IV will make your child fall asleep. They will also be given pain medicine to help them stay comfortable.
- During the surgery, the medicines given will ensure your child does not feel, hear or see anything and that they stay asleep until the surgery is finished.
- Once the surgery is finished, your child will wake up in the Post- Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) or recovery room. Specially trained nurses will regularly check your child's breathing, heartbeat, temperature and blood pressure. Your child will wake up soon after the surgery. You can be with your child as soon as they wake up.
Your child may have side effects from the general anesthesia
After general anesthesia, your child may have minor side effects, including:
- fatigue (tiredness)
- dizziness
- irritability
- sore throat
- cough
- nausea
- vomiting
- If this happens, your child will get medicine to help them feel better
After discharge from the hospital, please contact your child’s health-care provider if your child’s symptoms continue. Children who have repeated vomiting are at risk for dehydration. If your child is showing signs of dehydration or is lethargic (difficult to wake up), please go to the nearest emergency department.
Recovering from the general anesthesia
Activities after surgery
- Your child may feel dizzy and unsteady for up to six to eight hours after an anesthetic or sedation.
- On the day of surgery, your child should do quiet activities such as watch videos or TV or listen to music.
- The day after surgery, your child may be able to go back to their normal activities, unless your health-care team gave you different instructions.
Eating and drinking after surgery
- Give your child lots of clear liquids (e.g., water or liquid in the form of Jello) to start with. Once your child is comfortable with this (no vomiting/diarrhea) offer an easily digestible meal (e.g., crackers, bananas or toast).
- If your child has an upset stomach or vomits, keep giving them small amounts of clear liquids often. You can also try giving your child a small amount of food, such as crackers or toast.