MRI for 9 year old

[moosemama]

Dd has to have an MRE of her small intestines. Gastroenterologist told us it would be done under a general, but we have just had the appointment through and she isn’t having one.

We’ve been told to expect the scan to last up to 45 minutes, including a short break in the middle for dye to be injected.

I have had 6 MRI’s myself (5 brain, 1 gallbladder) and hated every single one, but am claustrophobic, so not really the best person to judge. Ds2 had an MRI of both shoulders when he was 12 and said he wouldn’t want another without sedation. Dd has become very anxious about medical things and has developed a fear of injections and cannulas in particular since she became ill last summer, so I’m a bit worried about how she’ll cope.

Has anyone else’s child had an MRI done without a GA and were they ok with it?

My son had one without GA when he was 8, he didn't need any contrast dye though.
He had no worries about it and was their star patient that day, came back with several stickers!
My son also had a CT scan when he was 6 and they gave him light sedation for that, I would ask if that was possible for your dad given her understandable anxiety.

Thank you.

I think I will give them a call and see what they say. Apparently she can listen to music during the scan and I was going to call and ask if we can bring some of our own or she has to choose some of theirs - she won’t be happy if it’s all mainstream/pop music!

I can go in with her, so think she should be ok with me there, but the cannula is definitely going to be an issue and she is so scared of needles now.

DD had 3 last year and she is 10. She was fascinated by the whole thing. They let her choose her own music. She picked heavy metal! She is fine with needles though and turned down magic cream and similar, told them to just crack on. Will they let you go in with her?

Its weird how different hospitals do different things. DS had a GA for his MRI at about that age.
I called ahead and told them he would need a play worker for distraction for his cannula. Can you do that? Can they use sedation if they won't use a GA?
Are they aware of your DD's difficulties? They may be able to be flexible if you let them know.

dc had one of the leg at that age.
dh was in the room to reassure but the distraction nurse (play therapist?) was there as well.

lots of emla cream to numb any possible cannula site.
can the dad do the appointment if you are anxious?

good luck!

ShowofHands, yes I can go in with her. Just found a video on YouTube from the hospital where she will be having it done and apparently we can take a CD with us too, so she will be able to listen to her favourite music.

TFMDV The Gastro seemed sure it would be a GA, so I was shocked when the letter came. The videos on YouTube say only under 4’s get a GA, but clinicians can over-rule that if they believe your dc won’t cope.

They aren’t aware of her anxieties yet, but I am planning to call them tomorrow and see what they suggest.

brownelephant emla doesn’t work on any of my dc, unfortunately. They never believe us when we tell them, but it’s a known issue with connective issue disorders.

I won’t be anxious on the day, we spend half our lives at that hospital - it’s starting to feel like a second home. I’m just one of those people that needs to plan and be organised in advance, then I’m fine.

Dh is unlikely be able to get the day off work unfortunately. The day she had the GA for endoscopy and colonoscopy he wasn’t able to get leave, but his boss sent him home just in time. He wasn’t able to be there for ds2’s (13) GA last Monday though. I will ask, but I doubt he will be able to do it.

Forgeot to say my daughter was allowed to take music/story and I went in with him.

I had to have a MRI a couple of years later, I hated it but got through by reminding myself if an 8 year old can a forty something woman can!

My dd had one of her head (with contrast) when she was 7.5. It wasn’t good to be honest and she cried all the way through even though I was standing right next to her holding her hand. I would push for sedation if we had to do it again.

Ds had one at 6 and had a general, as there is no way he would cope without one. He needs gastro investigations soon, and I can't imagine how they are going to manage these.

With regards to cannula, ds can't have emla, or even play therapy, as it just increases his anxiety. It sounds really brutal, but I have to be really firm an explain that being strong and quick is more effective with ds.

I hope things are going ok!

My son had one when he was 8 - I wasn't there but he seemed to cope OK with it. We didn't know that he was going to have one when DH took him to see the specialist, which probably helped! DS did complain that the music they played wasn't to his taste, so your own CD is definitely a good idea!

NF34 I have to recite something in my head to pass the time, as you can’t have music at the hospital I have had mine at. Feels like I am in that tunnel for years and I am exhausted afterwards from holding it together. Thankfully I was fine sitting with ds2 when he had his, so it really is just being in the confines of the tube for me.

JennyOnAPlate I think a head MRI is the worst to be honest. The tube is bad enough, but the head-coil they put over your face makes it so much worse. I would definitely be insisting on sedation if it was her brain/head.

Hi hazey I think play-therapy would just make dd worse as well to be honest. Just getting it over and done with is probably the best option. She has always been quite stoic, but since she’s been poorly she’s become very anxious, especially around medical procedures. She didn’t cope well at all with the GA for her endoscopy and colonoscopy. She had a bit of gas first, so thankfully they did the cannula when she was asleep, but she was absolutely hysterical by the time we arrived in the recovery room and took ages to calm down afterwards.

Sorry to hear your ds is having to go through gastro investigations as well.

Ds2 had his last Monday and they’ve postponed ds1’s until after his GCSEs, but may not get it done at all, because he’s developed serious mh issues around poisoning/contamination/medication/infection which are seriously affecting school, let alone medical procedures.

We have to wait for ds2’s results to find out whether or not he has to have surgery to correct intestinal malrotation.

The MRE is the last test for dd before the Gastro gives up and diagnoses IBS secondary to connective tissue disorder (which she isn’t actually diagnosed with). She’s in so much pain on a daily basis, looks really ill and so skinny, but they can’t find out what’s causing it.