Parents’ understanding of and compliance with fasting instruction for pediatric day case surgery

Abstract

Children we believe to be fasted may not be. Parents may deliberately misrepresent the actual fasting status of their child. Adherence to fasting advice may be affected by parents' recall and understanding of fasting advice.

Threat perception, anxiety and noncompliance with preoperative fasting instructions among mothers of children attending elective same day surgery

“…In a recent study, noncompliance with fasting and medication guidelines constituted a major reason for surgery cancelation [16]. In another recent study, the authors even suggested that parents may deliberately misrepresent the actual fasting status of their child [17]. However, it is important to note that parental noncompliance with preoperative fasting guidelines may be caused by lack of understanding or incorrect orders of medical staff [18].…”

Changing Paradigms in Preoperative Fasting: Results of a Joint Effort in Pediatric Surgery

“…These long periods of food abstention can lead to thirst and dehydration, hunger, hypoglycemia (especially children who have lower reserves of glycogen), irritability, headache and delay in coming up from anesthesia, causing unpleasant experience for these small patients 9 , 15 . In addition, 13.5% of children presenting for elective surgery are not suitable with fasting, and it is observed that most parents do not know the real cause of the need for food deprivation preoperatively - only 9% believe is due to risk of aspiration 8 . Failure to comply with the preoperative fasting guidance often results in delays and operation cancellations 17 .…”

Preoperative fasting guidelines in pediatric anesthesia

“…It has proved difficult to take full advantage of the 2-h fasting rule. In pediatric studies of actual preoperative fasting times, the 2-h regimen for clear fluids led to as much as 21 h of fluid-fasting [5][6][7][8]9 & ,10 && ]. It seems to be exceedingly difficult to keep a large proportion of children from fasting less than 6 h, as long as the 2-h limit is strictly implemented.…”