Paediatric Anesthesia in Sharjah

Who cares for your child

The doctor who gives your child their anesthetic is an anesthesiologist, a specialist physician. This is worth saying plainly, because many parents picture someone who simply sends a child to sleep and steps away. The reality is a doctor who assesses your child's health, chooses an approach suited to their age and size, and stays with them throughout, watching breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels and comfort and adjusting care as the child's body responds.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital in Sharjah, the anesthesiologist works alongside the surgeon or specialist carrying out the procedure. The surgeon focuses on the operation; the anesthesiologist keeps your child comfortable, still and physiologically steady while it happens, and looks after their pain and their waking afterwards.

Anesthesia matched to a growing body

Children are cared for using techniques, doses and equipment chosen for their age and size, described here in general terms. A baby, a school-age child and a teenager each need a different approach, and the anesthesiologist tailors the plan to the individual child in front of them rather than treating every young patient the same way.

Because children generally tolerate anesthesia well, most families find the experience calmer than they expected. The anesthesiologist will explain which approach is planned for your child and the reasons behind it, and there is time to ask questions before the day of the procedure.

Keeping your child calm and comfortable

A great deal of paediatric anesthesia is about atmosphere as much as medicine. The team keeps voices gentle, movements unhurried and the surroundings as unthreatening as a child can be given, and lets a familiar comfort object stay with them where that helps.

A parent can usually stay with their child until they are asleep. For most children the presence of a calm parent does more to settle them than anything else, so families are kept close during those first moments. Many children drift off breathing a pleasant-smelling gas through a soft mask, held by a parent's hand, which most find a gentle way to fall asleep.

Honest, simple preparation

Children cope best when they understand, in their own terms, what is going to happen. The most helpful thing a parent can do is explain gently and honestly, in words that suit the child's age, rather than promising that nothing at all will happen. Surprise is what frightens children most, so a child who has been told simply what to expect arrives far more settled than one who has been told there is nothing to expect.

Simple, truthful phrases work well: that a special sleep will help them stay comfortable, that a parent will be close by, and that they will wake up with that parent again. The team is glad to guide you on how to word this for your particular child, and older children and teenagers often like to hear the explanation directly themselves.

Fasting before the procedure

Your child will be given clear instructions about when to stop eating and drinking beforehand, with timings suited to their age. Following these exactly keeps the anesthetic safe, because an empty stomach protects the airway while a child is asleep. The instructions usually allow clear fluids until closer to the time, which keeps a child comfortable and settled, so it helps to note the exact timings you are given and plan the morning around them.

If your child has any medical condition or takes regular medicine, mention it early so the plan around fasting and medication suits them. Bringing details of any previous anesthetic, and any reaction a family member has had, helps the anesthesiologist prepare fully.

Waking up with a parent nearby

After the procedure your child wakes in a recovery area, cared for by nursing staff, and a parent is brought to their side as soon as it is comfortable to do so. Waking to a familiar face is reassuring for a child, and the team arranges the reunion promptly.

Some children wake brightly and others are drowsy, unsettled or a little tearful for a short while as the anesthetic clears, and both patterns are entirely usual. A sore throat, mild grogginess or hunger can follow, and staff keep your child comfortable, manage any pain and guide you on eating, drinking and settling them once you are home. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital in Sharjah the aim throughout is a child who feels safe from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.