Pediatric Dentistry · single question
A child arrives for sedation. Mom says he didn't eat, but the child says he had a bowl of cereal; the office forgot to give fasting instructions. What do you do?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Reschedule the appointment
- A. Correct. Adequate NPO (fasting) status is required before sedation/anesthesia to reduce aspiration risk. Since the child recently ate, reschedule.
- B. Incorrect. Sedating a non-fasted child risks aspiration of gastric contents.
- C. Incorrect. Lowering the dose does not eliminate the aspiration risk from a full stomach; proper fasting is required.
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