Giving Toys to Children Reduces Their Anxiety About Receiving Premedication for Surgery

In Brief Children have increased anxiety during the preoperative period. The administration of oral premedication to children is often met with apprehension, reluctance, or refusal. We sought to determine whether giving a small toy to the children would decrease the anxiety associated with taking oral premedication. This was a prospective study involving 100 children 3–6 yr of age randomized into two equal groups. The anxiety of each child was assessed using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale. The results showed significantly less anxiety in children who received a toy before oral administration of midazolam. IMPLICATIONS: This study assessed whether giving toys to children decreases anxiety about taking premedication before anesthesia. One-hundred children were randomized into toy and no-toy groups. Anxiety to receive midazolam was assessed using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, and it was significantly reduced in the toy group.