Background Progress in pediatrics, anesthesiology, apparatus for anesthesia, and computerized technology promotes the development of pediatric anesthesia. But pediatric anesthesia currently lags far behind adult anesthesia as the incidence of postoperative complications and mortality rate in pediatric patients is still higher than those in adult patients. Objective To review the recent advancement in pediatric anesthesiology and provide guidance for the practice of pediatric anesthesia. Content Recent radiological imaging and bronchoscopy studies reveal the location and shape of the narrowest part of children’s trachea. This finding provides anatomical guidance for appropriate performance of balloon catheter intubation. The treatment of obtrusive sleep apnea(OSA) in pediatric patients requires tonsillectomy. In these cases, dexamethasone, serotonin receptor blockers and metoclopramide can alleviate postoperative complications. Airway management is more challenging in pediatric anesthesia than in adult anesthesia and requires tranquilizer treatment and real-time monitoring to avoid adverse reactions. Appropriate perioperative anesthesia and analgesia management may effectively control emergence agitation. Neurotoxicity of general anesthetics is another important concern for pediatric anesthesia. Trend Further clinical investigations are required to optimize intervention strategies to prevention adverse outcomes in pediatric anesthesia and to clarify the cause-effect relationship between anesthesia and neurodevelopmental deficits.