PATIENT INFORMATION
Fasting for children
Children should not be kept without fluids for unnecessarily long periods. Long fasting can make children thirsty, irritable and distressed, and can lower blood sugar, particularly in babies and young children.
What guidelines say
The exact instruction depends on the child’s age, what they are drinking or eating, and local paediatric anaesthesia policy.
The ISA guideline allows water up to 1 hour before anaesthesia in selected children, in limited volumes, and other clear liquids up to 2 hours before. ASA 2023 states that evidence is insufficient to recommend 1 hour rather than 2 hours universally and advises allowing clear liquids as close to 2 hours as possible in children at low aspiration risk.
Different feeds have different times
Breast milk, infant formula, other milk and solid food each usually have different fasting times. Make sure you know the time for each type of feed your child takes.
Practical tips for parents
- Ask for the fasting times in writing, including a clock time.
- Offer permitted clear drinks up to the allowed time, rather than stopping early “to be safe.”
- Keep food out of sight on the morning of surgery, and ask siblings not to eat in front of the child.
- Tell the team immediately if your child ate or drank anything outside the instructions, even a small amount.
- If the operation is delayed, ask whether your child can have a drink.
Paediatric fasting varies by age, intake and local protocol. Parents should use the fasting schedule supplied for their child’s procedure and should not substitute an internet timetable for an individual paediatric anaesthesia plan.