If your child eats or drinks too close to the time of the operation, the procedure will have to be rescheduled. It is important to follow your surgeon’s instructions—often referred to as “NPO guidelines”—regarding eating and drinking, even water, before the operation. Food or drink in your child’s stomach may be inhaled into the lungs during anesthesia induction, causing serious complications. These guidelines help minimize this risk. No eating, no drinking, no kidding!