if a surgeon says you have to fast, you have to fast. end of story.
if a surgeon says your child has to fast, they have to fast. even if they are rreeeaaaallly hungry. even if they beg for food. even if they cry. even if they throw a tantrum. even if they scream for hours.
if a surgeon says you have to fast, you have to fast.
For a bit more context/plainer language from a child life specialist:
the medicine the doctor gives you to make you sleep, called anesthesia, makes you sleep differently than you do at night. Medicine sleep is so deep that the muscle that keeps your stomach closed falls asleep too.
Your stomach and your lungs are connected by your esophagus, which connects to your mouth and brings air to your lungs and food into your stomach.
Because you’ll be laying flat on your back, This means if you have food in your stomach it can come up out of your stomach, and because they’re connected by your esophagus, food or drink that comes out of your stomach can go into your lungs.
Because they aren’t supposed to have stuff other than air in them, having food or drinks in your lungs can make you really sick.
The doctors really don’t want that to happen, which is why they ask you not to eat or drink anything the day you’re having your surgery/whatever you’re getting anesthesia for. It can be really hard but it’s important!