Biomaterial Database

Preparing children for the operating room: psychological issues. 1994

T McGraw

Department of Anesthesiology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201.

Children respond psychologically to the prospect of surgery in a variable and age-dependent manner. This review summarizes the psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioural and family system models of child development. It then reviews studies of hospitalization and anaesthesia in children. These studies suggest that younger children, children previously anaesthetized, and children who experience turbulent anaesthetic inductions are at particular risk for postoperative behavioural disturbances. Strategies of dealing with children and their parents during the perioperative period are discussed. Such strategies include: allowing a parent to be present during induction of anaesthesia, administering sedative premedication, creating a supportive environment, educating children and parents (verbal descriptions, tours, books, videos), and establishing rapport with children and their parents. Age-specific techniques of establishing rapport with children are discussed. If children are less anxious during the perioperative period, not only will they often exhibit less behavioural disturbances postoperatively, but they may face subsequent medical care more easily.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D010817	Physician-Patient Relations	The interactions between physician and patient.	Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D011368	Professional-Family Relations	The interactions between the professional person and the family.	Professional Family Relationship,Family Relationship, Professional,Family Relationships, Professional,Professional Family Relations,Professional Family Relationships,Professional-Family Relation,Relation, Professional-Family,Relations, Professional-Family,Relationship, Professional Family,Relationships, Professional Family
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002652	Child Behavior	Any observable response or action of a child from 24 months through 12 years of age. For neonates or children younger than 24 months, INFANT BEHAVIOR is available.	Behavior, Child
D002657	Child Development	The continuous sequential physiological and psychological maturing of an individual from birth up to but not including ADOLESCENCE.	Infant Development,Development, Child,Development, Infant
D002673	Child, Hospitalized	Child hospitalized for short term care.	Hospitalized Child,Children, Hospitalized,Hospitalized Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man