General anesthetics that are not neurotoxic

A method for anesthetizing a pediatric subject and reducing the risk of neurotoxicity and of impairing developmental synaptogenesis associated with a neurotoxic general anesthetic, said method comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a neuroactive steroid analgesic, wherein said neuroactive steroid analgesic has reduced neurotoxicity compared to said neurotoxic general anesthetic, wherein said neuroactive steroid analgesic is (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile (3β-OH) and is administered at a dose ranging from about 5 mg/kg/body weight to about 25 mg/kg body weight, thereby anesthetizing said subject and reducing the risk of neurotoxicity and of impairing developmental synaptogenesis associated with said neurotoxic general anesthetic.