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Researchers have revealed that children exposed to anesthesia before age 3 had a higher relative risk of language and abstract reasoning deficits at age 10 than unexposed children.

More than one million children a year under the age of five undergo surgical procedures requiring anesthesia in the United States. The most common procedures include ear tubes for chronic infection, tonsillectomy, hernia repair and circumcision.

The study is published in Pediatrics. 

The study consisted of 2868 children who were followed up at least once from age 1 to 3. After reviewing the procedures performed on each child, 321 children were found to have had surgical procedures requiring anesthesia before their third birthday. The other 2,287 children weren't exposed to the drugs.

Parents were asked to keep detailed diaries of their child's medical history. During follow-up visits, parents filled out questionnaires describing illnesses and medical problems.

At age 10, researchers followed up with the children and found that children who had been exposed to anesthesia at a young age were more than twice as likely to have developmental issues with listening and speaking comprehension.

The children's abstract reasoning. listening, and speaking skills were evaluated.

 Children who had had anesthesia were nearly two times more likely to have listening comprehension issues, problems with speaking and more likely to have abstract reasoning delays. 

Researchers found no no link between anesthesia and behavioral problems or attention.

In 2011, a federal panel met to evaluate growing concerns about whether anesthesia in young children could lead to cognitive prblems or learning disabilities.

In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration partnered with the International Anesthesia Research Society to create the SmartTots campaign.

"Every time you get anesthesia during surgery, there's a risk. But there may be a special risk for children under four," said Dr. Michael Roizen, leader of the Executive Board of SmartTots. "SmartTots will allow us to learn how to give anesthesia and perform surgery safely on children under the age of four. If you could postpone surgery for those under the age of four, that would be fine. But for most procedures, you can't delay them because they are important for the child's development and health."