Sedation Services

Children sometimes need medicine to relax and stay pain free during medical tests or procedures. For example, young children may need sedation to be still during pictures of the heart (echocardiograms) or CT scans. Doctors and advanced practice nurses in our division have special training to monitor and safely sedate children and teens. Our team also works with specialists from Child Life Services, who provide non-drug ways to reduce anxiety.

Sedation is different from general anesthesia. During sedation, children can still respond to some level of stimulus. They can breathe on their own without the need for breathing machines. There are different levels of sedation depending on the requirements of the procedure and the medical history of the child.