Information for Children and Parents

RCoA information materials for children and young people

These materials have been created especially for young people. Hundreds of young people and children from the age of 4 upwards have helped a team of parents, play specialists, nurses and doctors write the leaflets. 

There are three short leaflets, all in different styles. Choose the one that appeals to you – or read them all if you want to! There are several versions so that you can either read them online or print them off to look at later. 

Rees Bear has an anaesthetic
A story for young children told by a bear who has had a recent anaesthetic.  Parents and children can read the story together, learning from the text and illustrations.

Davy the Detective – finding out about anaesthetics
Designed for junior school age children this is a graphic story about a boy determined to find out all he can about anaesthesia before his operation.

General anaesthesia – a brief guide for young people
Factual information for older children and younger adults presented in succinct bullet-point style. 

RCoA information for parents and carers of children having an anaesthetic

There are also some useful leaflets for parents, which can help you understand what to expect and what choices you may be able to make together.

Your child's general anaesthetic
3rd edition, May 2008
This leaflet explains what to expect when your child comes into hospital to have an operation or investigation under general anaesthesia.  

Your child's general anaesthetic for dental treatment
3rd edition, May 2008
This booklet explains what to expect when your child has a general anaesthetic for dental treatment. 

Information materials from other sources

Sedation for children leaflets series
Three PDF leaflets in full colour describing sedation for a test or treatment, aimed at children, parents and carers, and young people. These leaflets have been developed by the Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow.

My Daycase Operation: a resource for children with learning disabilities
A resource designed to assist with the preparation and management of children attending for day surgery who have learning disability or language and communication difficulty. For these children, conventional information leaflets are inappropriate or inaccessible. This resource provides a symbol time line showing the structure of a day surgery experience, using symbols to illustrate each step in the process. There is a time line booklet, a post-operative communication chart and a set of accompanying flash cards which indicate each step in turn.

An epidural for pain relief after sugery in children
A text only leaflet which explains the use of epidural analgesia for post operative pain in children. It describes the benefits, procedure and risks of an epidural and answers some frequently asked questions. Useful sources of further information are given and two references from the literature.

Further information:

• Guidance for submitting new leaflets for approval