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Behaviour of unsedated children in the anaesthetic room
British Journal of Anaesthesia
|March 1, 1980
Insights
Assessing unsedated children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Preoperative anxiety and behavior in children significantly impact anesthetic management.
- Sedative premedication is a common strategy, but its necessity and effectiveness warrant further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the behavior of unsedated children in the anesthetic room.
- To identify factors influencing children's behavior during anesthesia induction.
- To compare the behavior of unsedated children with published data on sedative premedication.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral assessment of 344 unsedated children using a validated method.
- Analysis of the influence of anesthesiologist experience and child's age on behavior.
Main Results:
- Child's age was a significant factor, with children aged 7 years and older exhibiting more satisfactory behavior.
- Anesthesiologist experience did not significantly influence child behavior.
- The frequency of satisfactory behavior in unsedated children was comparable to published data on sedative premedication.
Conclusions:
- Unsedated children can exhibit satisfactory behavior in the anesthetic room.
- Age is a key determinant of behavior, suggesting tailored approaches.
- Including unsedated children in behavioral studies is crucial for accurate assessment and understanding of preoperative anxiety.
Abstract:
The behaviour of 344 unsedated children in the anaesthetic room was assessed using a method similar to that described by Doughty (1959). The influence of the experience of the anaesthetist was found to be unimportant. The influence of the child's age was studied; children aged 7 yr and more behaved in a more satisfactory manner. The frequency of satisfactory behaviour compared favourably with that in published trials of sedative premedication which have used this method of assessment. The results support the view that the inclusion of unsedated children in such behavioural studies is essential.