Researchers conducted a retrospective sibling-matched cohort study. They included sibling pairs aged five to six years with the same birth mother who had complete Early Development Instrument data, a population-based measure of child development. The study participants included eligible children in Ontario, Canada, from 2004 through 2012.
Of the 187,226 eligible children for whom the Early Development Instrument data was complete, a total of 10,897 sibling pairs were identified.
After adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found no significant differences in developmental vulnerability between children exposed to general anesthesia in early childhood and those who were not exposed.
There were also no major differences between exposed and unexposed children with regard to each of the five major Early Development Instrument domains: language and cognitive development; physical health and well-being; social knowledge and competence; emotional health and maturity; and communication skills and general knowledge.
More articles on healthcare quality:
Leapfrog releases fall 2018 hospital safety grades: 6 things to know
Staph infections in pediatric hospitals falls by 36% in 7 years
Why hospitals should let nurses take outdoor breaks
