Pediatric sedation

Abstract

Backgroud: The number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures requiring sedation in children is increasing. Pediatric sedation is intended to provide anxiolysis and analgesia in children, but is associated with serious side effects such as complications involving respiratory and cardiovascular systems. This article reviews indications for these procedures, evaluation of children before sedation, the most often used medications, monitoring during the procedure as well as the criteria for safe discharge of a child. Conclusions: Pediatric sedation enables optimal success of diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures together with patient’s welfare. Commonly used sedatives and analgesics are safe in the hands of experienced and educated medical personnel. The latter should be familiar not only with the nature of the procedure but also with the course of sedation (which includes the preprocedural evaluation and safe postsedation care) and possible complications; they should have the appropriate knowledge of airway maintenance as well as the reanimation of the child.