What to Expect during Your Child’s Surgery

Your child's anesthesia professional will be with them every step of the way.

Written and Reviewed on February 23, 2026 by Eric Nix, DNP, CRNA, APRN, Kayleigh Lee, DNAP, CRNA, APRN, & Maddie Renouard, DNAP, CRNA, APRN Contributing Editor: Sabrina Schroeder, DNP, CRNA, APRN

CRNA speaking to woman and her child before surgery

Article Summary

Knowing what to expect during your child’s surgery can help reduce anxiety and make the experience easier for both children and caregivers. This article explains what happens before, during, and after a procedure, including how anesthesia professionals monitor and care for children to keep them safe and comfortable. It also describes what parents and caregivers can expect on the day of surgery and how they can support their child throughout the process.

During your child’s surgery or medical procedure, they will be under the care of an anesthesia professional, like a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

Parents and guardians can expect to not be allowed to accompany their child into the operating room (OR) for safety reasons. It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed when your child heads into the OR for their procedure. Understanding the experience from the moment your child enters the OR until they wake up after surgery can help you feel more prepared for this experience.

Here’s what will happen when your child enters the OR.

When your child enters the OR, members of the healthcare team will help your child move safely onto the operating table. They may be comforted with warm blankets, music, a tablet, or play with a child life specialist. The anesthesia professional will place monitors on them to assess their heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure throughout the surgery and the recovery period.

An oxygen mask will be placed over your child’s nose and mouth.  If your child did not get an IV before heading to the OR, an IV will be placed once they fall asleep after breathing in anesthesia gas through a mask. This IV will be used to administer anesthesia and other medications.

The IV will remain in place throughout the procedure and into the recovery period. The IV is used to provide anesthetic medications, fluids, antibiotics, pain medications, and medications to prevent nausea/vomiting. Once the IV has been placed and your child is under anesthesia, the anesthesia professional may place a breathing tube or another device to help them breathe during surgery (ask your anesthesia professional on the day of surgery what type of breathing device they will use with your child). This device will remain in place until they are breathing on their own.

The anesthesia professional will continue to monitor your child and give medications to help them wake up safely and comfortably.

During your child’s surgery, the healthcare team will make sure your child remains warm and comfortable throughout the procedure. The anesthesia professional will stay with your child throughout the surgery, monitoring anesthesia levels, and making sure that your child remains safe and comfortable. 

Once the procedure is finished, the anesthesia professional will stop the anesthesia medications and begin the process of waking up your child. Once the breathing device has been removed and your child is stable, they will be moved to a recovery area, often referred to as a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). In the PACU, they will be monitored closely by a nurse.  The operating room nursing staff will provide you with updates as they are able. Learn more about Your Child’s Recovery after Surgery.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or a recommendation for any specific anesthesia technique, drug, or treatment. Users should consult a qualified medical professional before making any decisions regarding anesthesia care. For complete terms, see our Terms of Use.