PREMEDICATION OF THE CHILD UNDERGOING SURGERY

The preoperative period is a stressful event for the majority of individuals undergoing surgery. This is especially true in the pediatric patient and is related to a limited understanding of the nature of the illness and the need of surgery by young children. Pharmacological and behavioral interventions are used to treat preoperative anxiety in children and their parents. Among the different results that may be achieved with premedication such as amnesia, optimization of preoperative conditions and prevention of physiological stress, the primary aim in children is anxiolysis. Almost 50% of children show signs of significant preoperative fear and anxiety. It has been reported that there are correlations between heart rate, blood pressure, and behavioral ratings of anxiety. In order to alleviate physiological and psychological effects of preoperative anxiety in children, most anesthesiologists use either parental presence or sedative premedication, since separation from parents and induction of anesthesia are considered the most perioperative stress inducing phases. Both approaches are considered appropriate choice of interventions. Anesthesiologists who allow parental presence during induction of anesthesia use sedative premedication least frequently, and vice versa.