Three-year-old Reya-Mae undergoes new ‘Super’ speedy and less distressing sedation method
We said hello to three-year-old Reya Mae, our 100th patient of our Super Sedation Project, and mum Maureen Bent after they visited us for the celebrations. The Super Sedation initiative offers young patients the ability to try an alternative form of sedation that is quicker, easier and less distressing to administer for young children like Reya-Mae.
This involves the use of an intranasal dexmedetomidine spray and oral midazolam spray which is tolerated more so than swallowing a large volume of oral medication. Reya-Mae visited us for her hearing test, used to check where she was developmentally in our Audiology department. Four of her previous tests had failed and greater intervention was required to help sedate Reya-Mae so that she could go into a deep sleep for her test.
Reya-Mae’s mum, Maureen said, “It was really good, and it definitely made the difference rather than another failed test and having to come back in again to the hospital.
“We found that Reya-Mae’s hearing is fine and we were in and out of the hospital quite quickly. It was great to come in to celebrate Reya-Mae being the 100th patient and the success that the project has had for more families like us. We’re really happy to have Reya-Mae home!”
With a 100 per cent success rate, the new method has reduced the length of stay time from six hours to four hours and has become an enhanced approach to treating not just young children but also neurodivergent and non-verbal young people who would’ve required general anaesthetic before this method was practised for their hearing test.
We’d like to say a big thank you to our various teams who have supported the implementation of the Super Sedation Project. For more information on the trial, read more.