The Anaesthetist

For parents

One of the anaesthetists will be present when your child first arrives in the A&E department. There will be lots of people at the “trauma call”. The anaesthetist’s responsibility is to ensure that your child’s airway and breathing are satisfactory. Depending upon their assessment they may need to insert a breathing tube into your child’s throat “intubate” to help them. This involves a general anaesthetic, similar to when having an operation.

The anaesthetist will then accompany your child to the CT scanner for images to be taken and then bring them back to the A&E department.

After being admitted to the hospital the anaesthetists will help to decide upon the best pain control options for your child which can include tablets and machines which give regular, small doses of pain killers.

Before your child has an operation, an anaesthetist will come and speak to your family about the anaesthetic and pain relief afterwards. The anaesthetic can start with a mask and gas or an injection through a drip. The anaesthetists will monitor your child throughout the operation, making sure they are unaware of what is happening. Painkillers and medication to stop them feeling sick afterwards are given during the operation.

Once your child is awake after the operation you will be able to see them in the recovery or “waking-up” room.


 

For children

 Anaesthetists are the sleepy doctors who look after you while your have an operation and make sure you wake up feeling comfortable.

 We will first meet you when you arrive in hospital when you are the centre of attention. We’ll be looking at you upside down and holding your head still with our hands. We’ll go with you to the big donut that takes pictures of your insides and will give you medicines to make you feel better.

If you need an operation one of us will talk to you and your parents about how to start your special sleep – we can use strawberry flavoured gas or special milk.

We watch you all through the operation to make sure you are safe and give you medicine so it doesn’t hurt when you wake up. You may have a machine with a button to press when you wake up that gives you medicine to make you comfortable – either you or one of the nurses will be in charge of this.

images courtesy of Boardmaker