Summary Summary: Anaesthetists rarely have to deal with young children. Such complications as respiratory events, bradycardia or cardiac arrest are more common in infants; especially when the anaesthetist in charge has only limited experience with children. Small children have a number of handicaps to overcome; with regard to respiration; only brief apnoea can be tolerated, and rapid sequence induction is not practicable in neonates; since hypoxemia would regularly occur. Videolaryngoscopy has improved the teaching of intubation. The classical laryngeal mask airway is best inserted by using the rotational technique. Although cuffed tubes can be used in children, they have no relevant advantage in neonates and infants. In an emergency, when the age of the patient is unknown, they have a clear advantage. Peroperatively, only sodium-rich solutions should be infused. Intraosseous access is the method of choice in an emergency when venous puncture fails. Dosing of inhalation agents depends on the age of the patient, and the cardiodepressive effects are more pronounced in young patients. Postoperative agitation is known to occur after sevoflurane or desflurane-based anaesthesia, especially in pre-school children. In children, long-term application of propofol is contraindicated. In summary, the age of the child and the experience and the skills of the anaesthesiologist are the primary predictors of complications.