A rare self-mutilating post-operative behavioral change in a 3-year-old child

Abstract

General anesthesia or sedation is mandatory even for minor surgery in children especially if they are below 5 years of age for oblivion. It’s mandatory not only for intraoperative period but also to omit the psychological impact that may adversely affect the children postoperatively. We report a case of post-operative behavioral change where a 3-year-old child applied a straight incision over his forehead to mimic the surgery that he learnt intraoperatively while drainage of small abscess of his own great toe carried out on him without anesthesia or sedation.