The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released updated guidance to help make anesthesia safer for children before, during and after surgery. The revised policy statement,
"Critical Elements for the Pediatric Periprocedural Anesthesia Environment," will appear in the March 2026 issue of
Pediatrics.
Research shows that about 85% of serious anesthesia‑related serious medical events in children could be prevented with the right systems and safety measures in place. Children younger than 1 year old and those with complex medical conditions are at higher risk for serious injury or death from anesthesia complications.
To help keep children as safe as possible, the AAP outlines key protections that hospitals and other pediatric surgical settings should have ready when providing
anesthesia.
The AAP recommends that health care facilities caring for children:
Put strong safety policies, proper training and the right resources in place to support safe anesthesia care for kids.
Have the staff and equipment needed to care for children after surgery, including postoperative inpatient care when needed.
Create partnerships with other medical centers so children can get timely care if unexpected complications arise.
This AAP policy is meant to add to—not replace—the safety standards already created by the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia.
AAP policy statements are written by medical specialists, reviewed by experts and approved by the AAP Board of Directors. This statement was developed by the AAP Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.
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