What method is used for pediatric anesthesia?
There are several methods used for paediatric anesthesia, depending on the age of the patient. The very young patient is brought to the recovery room and given a sedative if possible in order to make the induction of anesthesia easier for the anesthesiologist. The sedative can be a "by-mouth" or P.O. preparation of versed or even a narcotic. The doses are of course calibrated for paediatric patients based on their weight. If the patient is somewhat subdued, he or she is brought to the operating room, and then a mask induction can be performed. If the patient is very sleepy, the paediatric patient that is, the mask can be placed on the face of the child so as not to disturb him and to induce him quickly with the new inhalation agents which are rapid acting. If the patient is still awake, they may want to keep the mask some distance from him not to encroach upon his personal space too quickly and let the aesthetic gas insufflate over him. Make him more sleepy and slowly place the mask over his face as he becomes more sombulant. Intravenous inductions can also be done on paediatric patients if you think that patient will withstand starting an IV without it being too traumatic. It's important no to traumatize the young child or the infant as post-traumatic stress disorder has been reported in children who have been traumatized by anesthesiologist inductions.
