Dennis has an anaesthetic

Dennis has an anaesthetic helps children understand what it’s like to have a general anaesthetic, using familiar Beano characters to help reduce any anxiety they may have about surgery.

Children aged 7–11 can accompany Dennis on a fun-filled journey as he prepares to have his tonsils removed, from diagnosis to discharge from hospital. Although Dennis approaches his operation with his usual sense of bravado, he also has lots of questions and feels a bit nervous!

Through reading the online comic strip, children will have their questions answered, including:

• what is a general anaesthetic and is it safe?
• how will I feel when I wake up?
• how can I prepare for my operation?
• what should I do if I am worried or have questions?

Dennis has an anaesthetic will also help children and their parents/carers understand what happens in the run-up to an operation, the care children will need afterwards and how they can best prepare. As Dennis finds out, there are lots of practical things he can do ahead of his operation, such as eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of sleep and exercise.

All children who are due to have a general anaesthetic will benefit from reading the comic strip, even if they are not outwardly demonstrating anxiety. As well as being a fun and playful way to help children understand more about their operation and how to prepare for it, Dennis has an anaesthetic includes familiar characters, games and links to other resources.

We have developed this special Beano comic strip in partnership with the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. Dennis has an Anaesthetic is a Beano Studios Product
© DC Thomson (2022).

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We welcome suggestions to improve our information. Please tell us what you think by completing the form below. If you have any general comments, please email them to: patientinformation@rcoa.ac.uk

Building on the success of our collaboration with the Beano, Dennis has an anaesthetic, we have created the A-Team challenge, a new resource from the series to help children take active steps to improve their lifestyle ahead of surgery. Dennis and his friends challenge children who are waiting for surgery to eat healthy, be more active, sleep well and look after their teeth. The challenge includes a reward chart and stickers. 

You can download the challenge sheet and reward chart below or you can contact Mr Brett Joyner, Account Manager at Hardings Print Solutions, to order more printed copies along with the stickers (brett@hps-ltd.org.uk). If you wish to use your own local printers you can download the print-ready artwork from the Dropbox folder here: https://bit.ly/Dennis-Dropbox.

We welcome feedback on our resources. Please complete a short survey or email us at directly at: patientinformation@rcoa.ac.uk.