Guidelines for eating and drinking before surgery (also called NPO)

For your child’s safety, it is very important that he or she have an empty stomach when anesthesia is given. If these guidelines are not followed, your child’s surgery will be canceled.

If your child takes medicine or your doctor recommends specific medicine before surgery, you may give it within a three-hour time frame if it can be taken with a sip of clear liquids or alone. Do not give medicines with pudding, applesauce, or other solid foods. If the medicine must be taken with food, call the anesthesiologist at Children’s - Minnetonka, (952) 930-8700, to discuss other options.

Eating and drinking before surgery patient / family education material