Doctor Dinner, Anesthesiologist of New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center, explains how children should never undergo anesthesia if they have upper respiratory infections, unless the surgery is an emergency.

Doctor Dinner: It is not in the best interest of the child to do an operation, provide anesthesia when they are afflicted with an upper respiratory infection. Specifically with children when they present to the operating room for surgery, it could be one of two types of surgery; either elective or emergency surgery. If a child is, at the time of coming to surgery electively, sick with let's say a cold, upper respiratory infection, sniffle, sore throat, strep throat, more often than not the procedure would be postponed, cancelled. It is not in the best interest of the child to do an operation, provide anesthesia when they are afflicted with an upper respiratory infection. Now, of course, that flies out the window if it is emergency surgery and if the child does have underlying problems one will try and address those with medications or other interventions but they will still have to undergo the surgery.