Key points about fasting and consent for procedures
- your child's healthcare team will explain why your child needs to stop eating and drinking (fast)
- they'll tell you exactly what time your child needs to stop eating and drinking
- the healthcare team will share with you and your child all the information and advice you need to make a decision about having a procedure
- this is so you can make an informed choice and give informed consent
- you will need to fill out and sign some forms, giving written consent
Fasting before anaesthesia or sedation
If your child is having anaesthesia or sedation, your healthcare team will tell you exactly what time your child needs to stop eating and drinking.
Your child may have IV (intravenous) fluids, or fluids through a tube, to prevent dehydration.
Stopping eating means all food including:
- jelly
- lollies
- chewing gum
- baby formula
- cow's milk
- juice containing pulp
- milk products such as yoghurt and ice-cream
- fizzy drinks
- food through tube feeding
If your baby or child is breastfed, you will receive instructions about the time of the last feed.
The healthcare team will encourage your child to have clear fluid drinks until closer to the operation. They will give you instructions about when to stop. Clear drinks include:
- water
- clear juice
- ice popsicles
- a rehydration solution (available from the pharmacy)
Informed consent
Your healthcare team will share with you and your child all the information and advice you need to make a decision about having a procedure. Informed consent is the process of talking about options with your healthcare provider so you can make an informed decision about your health care.
To give informed consent, you must know enough about your condition and the treatment or procedure your healthcare team has suggested. You must have this information in a language and way that you can easily understand. You should have access to an interpreter if you need one.
You also have a right to have someone else with you to provide support while you are talking about your options. For example, you could have an interpreter or a chaplain with you through this process.
The basis for the principle of informed consent comes from Right 7 of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights. You can ask for a copy of the Code from your hospital.
Health & Disability Services Consumers' Rights
When you give consent, your health professional will ask you to sign a consent form. You might just need to give verbal consent for something minor.
Acknowledgements
All the pages in the childhood cancer section of this website have been written by health professionals who work in the field of paediatric oncology. They have been reviewed by the members of the National Child Cancer Network (NZ). Medical information is authorised by the clinical leader of the National Child Cancer Network.