A study of the sedative effect of home-administered oral diazepam for the dental treatment of children.
This study investigated the effects of oral diazepam administered at home to fearful child patients prior to dental treatment. Twenty-five healthy, uncooperative children, mean age 3 years 8 months (+/- 1 year 3 months), requiring at least three visits for the treatment of dental caries, were studied. Each child's behaviour was assessed during three treatment sessions: (i) control, with no diazepam or placebo; (ii) with diazepam; and (iii) with a placebo. Each child acted as his/her own control, being initially assigned to the control session. Subsequently each was randomly assigned to receive either diazepam or placebo for the second session and the other for the third session. The diazepam and placebo were administered by the parents at home approximately 60 minutes before treatment. Each patient's behaviour was assessed on a scale of 1 (definitely positive) to 4 (definitely negative) by two calibrated examiners who were blind to the medications given and independent of the treatment. Vital signs were monitored at 5-minute intervals. Behaviour was significantly better with diazepam than with the placebo or with neither. No significant differences were observed between the placebo and control sessions. At no time were any adverse effects noted, such as vomiting or respiratory depression. It was concluded that oral administration of 0.3 mg/kg diazepam at home by the parent is an effective and safe technique for preoperative sedation of fearful child patients.
Yanase
H
H
Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Aichi Gakuin University, Japan.
Braham
R L
RL
Fukuta
O
O
Kurosu
K
K
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003975:Diazepam