General anaesthesia
General anaesthesia is a controlled state of deep unconsciousness.
It is used to prevent pain and awareness during a medical procedure like surgery.
General anaesthesia is usually compared to being asleep.
Ways to give general anaesthesia
General anaesthesia medicine is usually given to children either through a mask or an injection.
Infants and small children tend to be anaesthetised through a mask to breathe in the medicine. Older children are often given the choice between a mask or an injection.
Children will usually be on a comfortable bed when given general anaesthesia medicine. Young children might prefer sitting on their parent or carer’s lap if allowed.
Gas
General anaesthesia gas often smells a bit like a strong marker or ‘Texta’.
The anaesthetic team uses different techniques to help your child feel relaxed when breathing the gas. Usually, the anaesthetist gives laughing gas first, then the general anaesthesia.
Some children, especially very young ones, may not like the mask or the smell. They might need gentle support to stay still while going off to sleep.
Once your child is asleep, they will have a needle (or cannula) placed in a vein, usually on an arm or foot to provide fluids, painkillers and sometimes anti-sickness medication.
Injection
Injecting general anaesthesia medicine works quick.
The anaesthetic team may use numbing cream on the injection site to help with the pain. This can be discussed with your anaesthetist.
When your child goes to sleep, it is common for them to:
- Wiggle around
- Roll their eyes back
- Have noisy breathing
- Become floppy
These are all normal and expected.
Once your child is asleep, parents or carers will be escorted to the waiting area if they haven’t already so the procedure or surgery can start.