Children fast from liquids longer than recommended before surgery

Most children undergoing surgery are kept from clear liquids for over three times the recommended duration, risking dehydration and anxiety. A study found 79% of children and infants fasted from liquids significantly longer than the two-hour guideline, with median fasting times in 2024 being nine hours for all children and 6.5 hours for infants. Researchers suggest outdated practices or lack of awareness of current guidelines, which allow clear liquids like water or juice up to two hours before procedures, may contribute to the prolonged fasting.