Pre-Admission Oral Clonidine to Reduce Severe Pre-Operative Anxiety in Pediatric Patients with Behavioral Disorders: A Case Series

TL;DR

This case series explores using oral clonidine before hospital admission to reduce anxiety in children with behavioral issues before surgery.

Contribution

The study introduces pre-admission oral clonidine as a practical approach for managing pre-operative anxiety in pediatric patients with behavioral disorders.

Findings

Six pediatric patients with behavioral disorders tolerated pre-admission oral clonidine without difficulty.

Families reported reduced anxiety and improved cooperation compared to prior experiences.

Transient intraoperative hypotension occurred but had no long-term effects.

Abstract

Controlling preoperative anxiety is necessary in pediatric patients to avoid adverse effects such as emergence delirium, behavioral problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety prior to future procedures, and increased analgesic doses in the recovery room. Some patients, especially ones with behavioral issues, have a difficult time arriving at the hospital. Medications given at home can be helpful. We describe a case series of six patients who received pre-admission oral clonidine prior to arrival to the hospital. The patients were all able to enter the hospital without difficulty and the families reported less anxiety and more cooperation subjectively compared with previous experiences. Transient intraoperative hypotension was a side effect of oral clonidine, with no long-term sequelae.