BackgroundEmergence delirium is a well-known and common problem in children recovering from anesthesia. The five-item Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale is one of the most commonly used instruments for assessing this condition, but the scale has been questioned regarding its latent structure, i.e., whether its items cover just one underlying construct. It has been suggested that the scale's first three items might identify emergence delirium better than the last two.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement properties of the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale with a focus on its latent structure and cutoff scores, using appropriate statistical methods for ordinal data.MethodsA total of 350 children under 7 years of age, undergoing adenoidectomy, with or without additional tonsillotomy or minor procedures like paracentesis, tongue-tie release, or cerumen removal, were enrolled in the study. At the recovery unit, emergence delirium and pain were registered.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the two-factor model, including emergence delirium-specific behaviors (first three items) and emergence delirium-nonspecific behaviors (last two items), established an excellent model fit according to the chi 2 goodness-of-fit statistics, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, Comparative Fit Index, Tucker-Lewis Index, and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual. The ordinal alpha of 0.98 and the ordinal omega of 0.96 supported the internal consistency reliability of the emergence delirium-specific behaviors. The convergent validity was supported due to a strong correlation between emergence delirium-nonspecific behaviors and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability scale. The receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses resulted in two tentative cutoff scores for emergence delirium-specific behaviors, >= 6 and >= 8.ConclusionThe Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale's first three items are a more valid and reliable measure of emergence delirium than its original five items.

Background Emergence delirium is a complex behaviour of perceptual disturbances that may occur after general anaesthesia in children. These children often exhibit delusions, confusion, restlessness and involuntary physical activity. They cry and are almost impossible to console. Research has mainly focused on comparing different medication agents in the occurrence of and dealing with emergence delirium. However, less is known about parents experiences of emergence delirium during the recovery process, and there is hardly any research concerning the childrens experiences. Aims The primary aim of this study was to describe parents experiences and reflections during their childs emergence delirium behaviour when recovering from anaesthesia. A secondary aim was to describe childrens experiences of having been in this condition. Method A qualitative research approach with thematic analysis was applied. The study was conducted at two county hospitals in southern Sweden. A total of 16 parents and one child were interviewed. Results Watching their child demonstrate emergence delirium made parents feel as if they were encountering an incomprehensible scenario. They experienced fear and insecurity and had feelings of powerlessness and guilt. Information and previous experience turned out to offer relief, and being seen by the healthcare staff when they, in their vulnerability, failed to reach or console their child, gave hope and energy. The child confirmed the unexpected and uncontrolled behaviour described by parents. She clearly remembered being wild and out of control. Conclusion Emergence delirium must be extensively considered in children undergoing general anaesthesia. It is of great importance for healthcare staff to be aware of the parental difficulties it may cause and what is experienced as relieving, such as receiving information and staff members being available, responsive and supportive during the wake-up period.