How do behavior or communication issues affect anesthesia?
The better we are at communicating our needs, the more comfortable we are transitioning into unfamiliar environments or scenarios. The more difficulty we have communicating with people, the less likely we are to voluntarily go into unfamiliar places or voluntarily interact with strangers. Similarly, those people with Down syndrome who exhibit more expressive language difficulties may also exhibit more anxiety or agitation when placed in unfamiliar or uncomfortable environments-like a doctor’s office or surgery suite. Severe anxiety or agitation sometimes leads to behavior that is unsafe for the person or others nearby, even for loved ones. Anxiety and agitation also produce sympathetic nervous system excitation (“fight or flight”) responses in the body that can contribute to anesthetic complications. Talking to patients and patient caregivers, and establishing rapport with some, may be enough to lessen patient anxiety or agitation. Preoperative sedatives may also be warranted. It is im
