An updated consensus statement from SmartTots urges healthcare providers and parents to discuss the risks, benefits, and timing of any treatment that involves anesthetics or sedatives for infants or children younger than age 4. Specifically, it advises weighing the benefits of any elective procedure against a potential risk.
SmartTots, which is a public-private collaboration between the International Anesthesia Research Society and the FDA, has updated a consensus statement that emphasizes more research is needed on the impact of anesthetics and sedation on infants and young children. The statement was endorsed by 19 health organizations, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia.
Experts also suggest exploring alternatives to anesthesia or sedation when pain management is not an issue, such as with diagnostic tests.
Recent evidence seems to indicate that when very young animals are exposed to anesthetics or sedatives, it impairs their ability to learn and memorize, as well as impacts their behavior. Human research has been inconclusive.
Established science has shown that the human brain is still growing in the first few years of life and is more susceptible to harm when exposed to certain chemicals. (To access the consensus statement, go to http://smarttots.org/about/consensus-statement.) SmartTots has created FAQ sheets for providers (http://smarttots.org/faq-for-health-care-professionals) and for parents (http://smarttots.org/faq-for-parents) to guide anesthetic/sedative use in infants and toddlers.
