Children who received general anesthesia repeatedly before the age of 2 had a doubling of their risk for learning disabilities at school age, according to a new study, the latest evidence that anesthesia could have long-term impact on young children… Taking the research evidence as a whole, "the studies are concerning…but are in no way definitive," said Randall Flick, one of the study authors and chairman of the division of pediatric anesthesiology at Mayo. There aren't enough data yet to advise parents about any risk of learning disabilities, but parents with concerns should talk to their doctors, according to Dr. Flick, also an FDA advisory-panel member.

Wall Street Journal, by Shirley Wang, 10/3/11

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Tags: Anesthesiology, Pediatrics