I am a huge fan of the Beano and sent feedback to the Royal College of Anaesthetists about a special collaborative edition I had read, Dennis has an anaesthetic. My Granny was in hospital at the time, and I was worried about her. She had broken her ankle. I read the Beano comic to help me understand and feel better about her being unwell and having an operation.

Children’s anxiety related to hospital admissions and procedures is a huge problem and affects up to 80% of children. 75% experience anxiety in the anaesthetic room, and 60% develop ‘new’ dysfunctional behaviour in the three weeks after surgery. Sadly, 12% still display this new behaviour one year after surgery. In the US, surveys show that 25% of children are held down for a general anaesthetic.

Dennis has an anaesthetic teaches children about:

• finding out about the operation
• getting ready for the operation
• having the anaesthetic and operation
• waking up and going home.