Emergence agitation is a clinical condition in which the child experiences a variety of
behavioural disturbances including crying, thrashing, and disorientation during early
awakening from anaesthesia. Emergence agitation is a common challenge in children with a
reported incidence of approximately 25% ranging from 10 to 80 %. Clonidine is often used
off-label in paediatric anaesthesia e.g. sedation in the intensive care unit, prevention of
withdrawal symptoms after long-term sedation, as premedication before induction of
anaesthesia or as treatment/prevention of emergence agitation. The study is designed as a
randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating efficacy and safety of a single dose
of intraoperative clonidine in children 3-12 months, including pharmacokinetics.