Child temperament and reaction to induction of anaesthesia: Implications for maternal presence in the anaesthetic room

The behaviour of 63 children aged between 2 and 11 years, admitted for minor surgery, was observed in the anaesthetic room using the Observational Scale of Behavioural Distress. Assessment by the mother of her child's temperament using a short questionnaire administered on the day prior to surgery predicted the child's level of distress in the anaesthetic room. More distress was shown by younger children and those scoring highly on temperament traits of intensity of response and withdrawal from new situations. There was also evidence that maternal presence in the anaesthetic room was associated with less distress. Child distress was not related to maternal anxiety once age and temperament were controlled and children accompanied by mothers had significantly better behavioural adjustment at one week post-operation. The results support maternal presence during medical procedures and suggest that temperament theory may provide a useful framework for conceptualising children's responses.