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Child behaviour after anaesthesia: associated risk factors
M Karling1, H Stenlund, B Hägglöf
1Division of Anaesthesia, University of Umeå, Sweden. mats.karling@vll.se
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|April 28, 2007
Summary
Pain at home, not in the hospital, significantly increases the risk of problematic behaviors in children post-hospitalization. Improving home pain management is crucial for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Child Psychology
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Childhood hospitalization and anesthesia can lead to adverse behavioral outcomes.
- Identifying risk factors for post-hospitalization behavioral problems is essential for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine hospital care factors associated with problematic behaviors in children after hospitalization.
- To investigate the impact of pain, anxiety, and other perioperative variables on child behavior.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 340 children (ages 2-13) undergoing elective procedures with anesthesia was studied.
- Data collected included sociodemographics, procedure type, anesthesia induction, premedication, and staff/parental assessments of anxiety and pain.
- Behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Post Hospital Behavioural Questionnaire (PHBQ) two weeks post-discharge.
Main Results:
- 34.4% of children exhibited at least one problematic behavior post-hospitalization.
- Key risk factors identified: younger age (<5), pain at home (but not hospital), nausea, anxiety during anesthesia induction, postoperative distress, prior hospitalizations, and single-parent households.
- Moderate-to-severe pain at home presented the highest risk (OR 6.39).
Conclusions:
- Pain experienced at home, distinct from hospital pain, is a significant predictor of new or exacerbated behavioral issues in children post-anesthesia and hospitalization.
- Proactive strategies focusing on optimizing pain management in the home environment are recommended to mitigate these behavioral sequelae.
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