What are the common side effects of anaesthesia?

It is quite common to have a sore throat after anaesthesia as a result of a tube or support inserted into your mouth whilst you are asleep. This usually gets better within a day of surgery. 
Some people feel sick after an anaesthetic. Please let me know if you get motion sickness or have suffered vomiting after a previous anaesthetic, I can give you medicine to help prevent it.
You may feel drowsy for a number of hours after your surgery. Please refrain from exercise, driving or working for at least 24hrs.
It is rare to experience an allergy or adverse reaction to anaesthesia.
Issues with your breathing are rare, but increased if you are a smoker, have suffered from a cough or a cold within the last few weeks or are asthmatic. Please let me know if you have experienced any breathing issues before the anaesthetic. It is best these issues are stabilised before you have an anaesthetic.

What  should I do if my child has a cold?

Please let me know if your child has had a cold (or  yourself if you are the patient) within the last month. If the cold is severe, your child has a fever or they are unwell to the extent they are lethargic or off their food, they must be cancelled and delayed until they have been well for up to a month. Some children, for example those with recurrent tonsillitis, are unwell all the time. These children will be cancelled if they are actively unwell but may still go ahead if their cold is getting better and was not less than a month ago. Each patient is considered on an individual basis.
There is a risk of airway irritability, asthma like reactions and a worsening of their chest infection if they have an anaesthetic whilst unwell. This is why we rather delay the operation when we are concerned. Your surgeon will understand these risks and make arrangements for a later date. 

Are there any risks to the developing brain with anaesthesia?

The risks of anaesthesia causing developmental delay is extremely small. If your child needs an operation, the risk of not doing it far exceeds the risk of the anaesthetic.

See smarttots.org for more information.