In March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began meeting to evaluate the results of research studies that suggest young children exposed to anesthesia may be at a higher risk for cognitive issues. While it is unclear what kind of federal action could ultimately be on the table, the FDA's inquiry into this correlation is something every parent should be aware of.
A Body of Research
To date, most studies examining the relationship between anesthesia and learning disabilities have been conducted on animals. Although these tests show anesthesia exposure early in life is correlated with brain cell death or learning difficulties down the road, scientists caution that results obtained on animals do not necessarily translate to humans.
Researchers have also compared children with and without learning disabilities and their history of anesthesia. One study from the Mayo Clinic focused on the medical records of over 5,000 children patients, 600 of whom had surgery before the age of 4 under a general anesthetic (one that causes unconsciousness, as opposed to a local or regional anesthetic that simply numbs a portion of the body).
The results of the Mayo study were startling: although kids put under a general anesthetic once appeared to be no more likely to develop a learning disability than those who had no anesthesia history, children subjected to anesthesia three times were more than twice as likely to suffer from learning disabilities.
The FDA's Role
Experts warn that even research like the Mayo study has weaknesses, as it cannot fully account for other variables in the children's lives and it may be distorted by coincidence.
The FDA is striving to fill in the gaps. They have partnered with the International Anesthesia Research Society to explore remaining questions. Ultimately, the FDA hopes to thoroughly examine existing research, propose additional testing that may be necessary, and decide whether parents should be informed of the possible risk of learning disabilities before their children are anesthetized.
Difficult Decisions
Perhaps the trickiest issue surrounding this possible link is that most children exposed to anesthesia truly need it in order to undergo critical, possibly life-saving surgery.
Hard decisions are, of course, part of being a parent. But, they should be made with complete information. If you feel that you were not adequately informed of risks or that your child may have been harmed, contact a medical malpractice attorney today to explore your legal options.
