Today dd who is 3 had minor dental surgery today. My problem is they gave her 3 different medicines to knock her out they didn't use the usual gas. they gave her2mg of MIdazolan and 500 mg of chloral hydrate 5ml and vistaril 25mg /5ml that sounds like and awful lot I qestioned her about it but she told me that they needed it to knock them out. my other problem is that it was a 10 minute procedure and they gave her all that and also she didnt come out of it real good. She was through by 10 and they made us stay there until almost 1 because her oxygen wasn't 100% and she had no control of her head. its been over 10 hours now and she is still a little loopy and she is now running a little fever but her dentist said that her running a fever has nothing to do with the dental work. So my question is do you think that was an over load of medicines. Im seriously beginning to think I might look for another dentist.

By Kate on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 10:11 pm:

I don't know a thing about these drugs or their dosages, but if she was done by 10:00 and they kept her until 1:00 because she wasn't with it, that sounds VERY suspicious. I would call your pediatrician (even right now I would) and tell him exactly what happened and that she's still out of it a bit 10 hours later. I'd be really concerned. I'm sorry this happened!

By Pamt on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 10:17 pm:

I'd call a doctor or pharmacist ASAP. I have an excellent pediatric dentist and he won't use any sedating meds...even laughing gas. They just have a great way of relaxing kids and being able to use novacaine only. Please call and let us know how she is.

By Tink on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 10:25 pm:

We have to have my son sedated for all of his dental procedures because of sensory issues. He is usually out of it for about 12 hours. Not unconscious or "out of his head", just silly and loopy. The first two hours, he is barely awake and totally limp. His O2 levels are always fine, though. I don't know what the dosages are for him. I'd keep a close eye on her fever, that would concern me. If you have concerns with your dentist, I'd change. That's someone you want to trust for your own peace of mind and your dd may pick up on your doubts.

By My2cuties on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 10:41 pm:

When Hailey had tubes in her ears, and when she had her eye probed, the dr. told us that she would be kinda out of it for the rest of the day, I think that is normal. I am suprized they didn't tell you to suspect that. The fever would bother me as well, is it a high fever or is it just a low-grade fever? Keep an eye on it through the night and if it is still no better I would call the doc again. I hope she gets better.

By Palmbchprincess on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 11:59 pm:

I agree with calling your ped, that sounds a bit odd. Both of my children have had surgery this year under general anesthesia, and I don't recall any O2 problems like that. As far as the fever, better safe than sorry. Go with your mommy instincts here.

By Kittycat_26 on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 07:57 am:

I wasn't a kid (15) when I had my wisdom teeth done and they put me (as an almost adult) to sleep. I was there for almost 2 hours after the prodedure. They do this for recovery. Most likely, she would have been there for a while after the procedure regardless.

I agree with Crystal to check with your ped. Just to make them aware and they can put it in her permanent record.

To me, it sounds like what I would expect if they put Timmy to sleep.

By Dandjmom on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 08:59 am:

Marie, I would have a lot of questions also. My daughter she had to have a cap placed on her back tooh when she was 2 years old she had to be put to sleep becaue of her age. She sees the dentist at Children's Hospital so when they have to put there little patients to sleep for a dental procedure, they have sleepy juice and lollipops that they use to put them to sleep. She was still slepp afte rthe procedure but since there wasnt' any kind of drugs liek you named used i was able to pick her up leave, The only thing I was told was that when she wakes up to stay close to her for a while until he completly comes around. Maybe you can look into a treatment of this nature in your area.

By Dandjmom on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 09:03 am:

Marie, I would have a lot of questions also. My daughter she had to have a cap placed on her back tooh when she was 2 years old she had to be put to sleep becaue of her age. She sees the dentist at Children's Hospital so when they have to put there little patients to sleep for a dental procedure, they have sleepy juice and lollipops that they use to put them to sleep. She was still slepp afte rthe procedure but since there wasnt' any kind of drugs liek you named used i was able to pick her up leave, The only thing I was told was that when she wakes up to stay close to her for a while until he completly comes around. Maybe you can look into a treatment of this nature in your area.

By Imamommyx4 on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 09:53 pm:

I am a pharmacist. And my first question is did they give her the midazolam by a vein in her arm or orally. If it was iv 2 mg is a lot for a 3 year old. If it was by mouth 2 mg isn't much because it degrades so much in the stomach.

This is my personal opinion from observation of working hospital for so many years. But if they gave that much for a 10 minute procedure and took 3 hrs to recover her enough to go home, they way over sedated. We use to have this problem in our hospital but through some quality and assurance procedures, we have gotten our doses way down.

If they got her oxygen levels up to 100% before they sent her home, she is probably safe. But if she is still hard to keep awake, I would watch her like a hawk.

Does she have any allergies?
The vistaril dose seems high to me unless she's a really big 3 year old. If she weighed 40 lbs, the recommended sedation dose would be 11 mg based on literature. The sedation dose is 0.6 mg/2.2 lb.
How much does she weigh?

The chloral hydrate is pretty much on the mark. For a 40 lb child it would be 454 mg for sedation.

In the past the trend was to oversedate to get the job done quickly, then try to reverse it. This practice has for the most part gone with history.

But for your benefit, I would probably question the dentist and tell them how you feel, and check with your pediatrician. I can tell you what the literature says but I wasn't there and don't know the whole scenario. As a mom and from what you have said, I would be very wary.
As a health care professional, there can be extenuating circumstances that sometimes backfire.
Small children and people with certain conditions like ADHD will react opposite to the way that most of us might react to a med and something else has to be tried. If he gave her one of the meds, waited a little while and got no response or an opposite response, then tried another and so on until he got a correct response, and then boom found himself with a child that had finally reacted to all three that could be a perfectly honest thing that anybody could do because there is no way to know how every single person will react to a med. But if he gave her all 3 to start especially if the midazolam was iv, I'd have to say he oversedated and I'd look for another dentist.
Let me know if you have any other questions.