Is it common to use Ativan prior to surgery?

If under 18 years of age:
Safety and effectiveness not established! 1 to 4mg under tongue to treat serial seizures in children.

That is from an ativan info site.

I am not sure how safe it is, but I do know it is common to give people something to calm and relax them before surgery, even children. Anxiety and fear can make it harder to properly anesthetize someone, and the anesthetic would be much more dangerous and easier to overdose on than the ativan. By using a sedative of some kind, they can minimize how much of the other drugs they have to use and ensure that the person, either child or adult, comes out of anesthetic promptly with fewer complications and side effects.