General anaesthetic - affect on toddler

CaraMay

My child, age 25 months is going in for a minor operation (grommets) tomorrow and will be getting a light general anaesthetic. Has anyone been through this? Any tips on looking after them as they come out of it? Am getting nervous about it all now.

I also don't know how to manage the fasting as he always has a bottle when he wakes plus he drinks lots of water each day.

nikpmup

I only have my own experience to go on, after a general anaesthetic I was groggy and sleepy for the day, kept nodding off. They'll keep him in recovery until they are happy that he's properly awake (but he'll still be sleepy!) I was also quite nauseous for a day or two, wasn't able to eat much. I got sick after attempting a ham salad roll when I got home :oops:
I'm sure the medical staff will advise you properly on what will happen. I'm sure it'll be a lot worse for you than for him

January

There are so many variables, some people cope really well with general anaesthetic and some don't. Be prepared for the worst and anything else is a bonus. You'll be with him until he gets the anaesthetic and from the minute he wakes up in recovery too so he'll have someone familiar around.

liliq

CaraMay wrote: »

My child, age 25 months is going in for a minor operation (grommets) tomorrow and will be getting a light general anaesthetic. Has anyone been through this? Any tips on looking after them as they come out of it? Am getting nervous about it all now.

I also don't know how to manage the fasting as he always has a bottle when he wakes plus he drinks lots of water each day.

Distraction with toys is the only way, I think, to manage fasting. They can have clear fluids up to a certain stage too, so water will be fine up to a point.
Some kids take the ga fine, others fight it, it's different for everybody.

Hope it all goes great anyway, and it will help in the long run

Tasden

My experience isn't necessarily nice (not dreadful either though in the grand scheme of things) but I'll give it anyway because, like your child mine was there for a minor planned surgery-as opposed to emergency and this is where our issues stemmed from. I think ours was the same age as yours getting her surgery too maybe a little older.

She was booked in for whatever day and was fasting but her surgery kept being put back throughout the day due to emergency surgeries being done. Then night time came and they said that they will try get her in for the next morning so keep her fasting- she was already grumpy at this stage but had to be done. Morning came and they said she wouldn't be seen to now til the evening- now she had been fasting for so long it wasn't fair but it was too close to the surgery to give her something and start fasting again. This may not happen to you but just wanted to make you aware that obviously emergencies are priority so your child's could be put back and he may be left fasting for longer than you expect. Not sure if others have experienced this before or if it was just the day we were in but just to be prepared.

As a result of the surgery being put back til late and them being stuck for time and whatnot we weren't allowed accompany her when it was being administered which was a huge fear of mine, she was taken down by a nurse though and admittedly she was grand! Was just tough on me not being able to be there to comfort her to sleep. So again, you usually can accompany them but be prepared.

They give a medicine beforehand that will make him seem kind of "drunk" and he will be very drowsy/happy/calm in order for them to administer it.

My daughter was fasting so long that all she wanted was breakfast when she came round, obviously we didn't want to feed her too fast so after about an hour the nurse said it'd be OK if she's able to eat then let her, she ate dry toast and then asked for wheetabix, not a bother with her tummy! She was still very "drunk" for a while and in and out of sleep but she was kept in til she was back to normal.

All in all its fine, don't worry, and hope my post didn't come across as ranting or trying to scare you, it was a fine experience generally, just wanted you to be prepared that these things do happen and things might go a little different than expected, but he's in good hands and will be fine. All the best. Oh and we found it handy to have a new toy handy as a surprise when she came home to district her.

CaraMay

Thanks all. He is due in at 8 and as of Thursday last there was only one baby ahead of him. They don't do a&e in this hospital so hopefully the schedule will stay the same.

He will create murder without his morning bottle but I guess it's a small price to pay.

Suucee

Best of luck. Keep me posted on how it goes. Im planning on bringing a tablet with some of her favorite cartoons. Her 2 favourite teddies and her raggy.
Were in for 7am and shes in first (i hope it stays that way). She normally doesnt have brekkie until 8.30 or 9 anyway so hoping she'l be ok but she is a demon when hungry.
Im dreading the GA aswell as anytime ive had one ive been so sick after but would of been for bigger procedures.
Going to get her something new for afterwards aswell.

CaraMay

I will do suucee. 7 is nice and early. He will roar for a drink I'm just dreading it. Hope he sleeps til 7 and we will pop him in car so hope he sleeps for the drive. Will bring change of clothes, DVD player and some puzzles I think.

Funny I'm dreading before more than after for him as I hate to see him hungry (since he used to be in for failure to thrive).

Can't wait for it to be over. I have a kidney infection so am in the horrors even before this. Anyway whinge over.

uck51js9zml2yt

my son now 3 had grommets and a few weeks later major surgery on the other ear which took 3 hours last year.
On the. grommet he ate the hermitage out of their kitchen. juice , yogart and 3 pieces of toast
for the major op he was a bit more groggy after but was bouncing around the ward an hour after the operation. he kept be walking the corridor until midnight.
just don't give them any acidic foods after the operation.

CaraMay

Does anyone know if they use gas or an injection?

holidaygirl

My Little boy had grommets done in November, he was almost 23 months. Food was a big concern for us as well as he loves his grub. We went to Dublin the night before as he was sue in the hospital for 6.45 and we are a good 2 hour drive away. We were right beside the hospital though so just up and walked over. We brought his blanket that's he's really attached too. I also had food in a bag for afterwards. He handles the morning without food better than I expected as he was distracted, there was a little play area and all so he was happyish there. It was gas they sued on him, I actually held him while they done it in theater and then it was just out and wait. Once he was back in recovery about 25 mins later they called and I was down with him before he woke. He was a little bothered by all the bits of attachments etc, and it took a few minutes before he came round fully. Once back on day ward they got 2 weeatbix for us for him, he also ate, a pack of liga and a banana. Luckily he was pretty good and we only had to wait around about another 1 1/2 or so and we were let home, he slept after a few minutes in the car and stayed asleep the whole way home and about an hour after that.

Ms2011

CaraMay wrote: »

Does anyone know if they use gas or an injection?

In our case it was gas. I carried him down to the operating room, holding him down while they put the mask on his face was the worst part for me as he was screaming & struggling as he hates the masks since having to use on with an inhaler when he was younger. But the gas worked in seconds & then he was sound asleep.

CaraMay

How was he after that holiday girl? Did you notice a big improvement?

holidaygirl

CaraMay wrote: »

How was he after that holiday girl? Did you notice a big improvement?

I'd love to say a big improvement but I can't - there is definitely an improvement in him understanding us. It's just two months now. He had really no words apart from mama and Dada. We have been on a waiting list for Speech and Language since Sept, we are also gong through an assessment of needs, which means we should get the apt soon enough due to there own time scale. So hopefully once we get some pointers that will also help. Now he's also been plagued with sickness since December which I'm sure isn't helping, Throat infection, broken nose, chest infection, and he's ruptured both ear drums. We have not been back for follow up yet for repeat hearing assessment etc, as with the ears because of the infections he would fail it! We are back the week after next as long as his ears dry up, if not it's back under to have them cleaned out. We are just unlucky, most people I know that have had them really notice an improvement.

CaraMay

The poor little fella. Thanks for telling me. Hope he gets better soon

clairefontaine

Is it GA or conscious sedation?

Can depend. Anything from grogginess to vomiting.

CaraMay

GA

clairefontaine

CaraMay wrote: »

GA

It could be gas and injection, it really depends on the depth and the length of the surgery. I don't know what they do for grommets.

But with GA it can be grogginess to vomiting. My little one vomitted a lot after 2nd operation, but not after the first. [Not grommits.] So obviously even after all that fasting sometimes they still can't eat because they just puke it all up again. I'm sure the after affects also depend on what anesthetic they are administering.

CaraMay

Well we were in for 8 and are on our way home already with all done. He was first down and they gave him gas first. He was back up 30 minutes later. Had water immediately then a bottle half an hour later and then weetabix. He was a bit cranky and it hurt taking the needle from his hand but is ok other than that.

Consultant came around then and said his ears had less fluid in them than when he saw him but all has been cleared out and grommets inserted. Then we were discharged with a prescription for ear drops.

Fingers crossed that's the problem solved now.

Tasden

Great to hear it all went well, go and relax now!

Suucee

CaraMay wrote: »

Well we were in for 8 and are on our way home already with all done. He was first down and they gave him gas first. He was back up 30 minutes later. Had water immediately then a bottle half an hour later and then weetabix. He was a bit cranky and it hurt taking the needle from his hand but is ok other than that.

Consultant came around then and said his ears had less fluid in them than when he saw him but all has been cleared out and grommets inserted. Then we were discharged with a prescription for ear drops.

Fingers crossed that's the problem solved now.

Thats great hope he recovers well now.

CaraMay

He is flying around already plus eating and drinking no bother.

Ms2011

CaraMay wrote: »

He is flying around already plus eating and drinking no bother.

I remember when my little fella had his op his incision was just under his belly button & he was only crawling at the time. The evening after the surgery he was crawling around like nothing had happened while I was cringing wanting to keep him still.
They really are tough little things, tougher than we give them credit for sometimes