Prevention and intervention strategies to alleviate preoperative anxiety in children: a critical review.

Rutherford et al. (2007) read every paper they could find on calming kids before surgery. They looked at five kinds of help: sleepy medicine, letting Mom stay, play-therapy prep, music, and tiny needles called acupuncture.

The team did not run new kids; they simply told the story of what past work had said.

No single trick won. Sleepy drugs work fast but can drag recovery. Parental presence helps some kids yet rattles others.

Short play tours, favorite songs, or acupuncture may cut fear a little, but proof is thin. Pick the tool that fits the child, the parents, and the operation.

Aman et al. (1993) showed one infant cried less when nurses sounded a beep before shots. That tiny study extends D’s theme: simple signals can tame medical stress, even without drugs.

Lun et al. (2023) later pooled 38 trials on acupuncture for kids with autism. They also saw weak, shaky gains, matching D’s view that needles might help but evidence is soft.

Laugeson et al. (2014) focused only on autistic youth and found CBT gives moderate anxiety relief. Their tighter, systematic sweep supersedes D’s brief mention of behavioral prep, showing CBT has the best numbers for that group.

You can stop hunting for one magic cure before surgery. Ask the child and family what feels safe: a pill, a parent, a tour, tunes, or tiny needles. If you serve kids with autism, lean on CBT first and treat acupuncture as a maybe. Always pair any choice with clear warnings like Aman et al. (1993) did, so kids know what is coming.