Pediatric anesthesia historical perspective.

This article examines how anesthesia evolved to serve the needs of children. Discussion includes milestones in technologic advancement related to pediatric anesthetic care and how collaboration among pediatric surgeons, neonatologists, and pediatric anesthesiologists has helped our specialty to progress. Conversely, the significant contributions of pediatric anesthesiology to pediatric critical care medicine, pain management, and pediatric public health care are also presented.