Esketamine is a non-competitive inhibitor of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor with high affinity.It can be used in anesthesia induction,postoperative analgesia,acute and critical illness and psychiatric treatment.Nowadays,there are more and more researches on esketamine in children during perioperative period.Esketamine has a strong sedative and analgesic effect.It can reduce the amount of opioids,having less impact on respiration and circulation,and fewer adverse reactions.In this paper,the mechanism of action,pharmacological characteristics and application status of the drug are reviewed,and some references are provided for its application in children.