Baby MRI

[Corilee2806]

Hello, just looking for a bit of reassurance really or seeing if anyone has had experience.

Taking my 5 month old baby boy for an MRI (diagnostic) at GOSH on Tuesday - really glad it’s happening and that he’s getting care in the best possible place. Have read up on the process and what to expect - he will have to have an oral sedation - but still feeling a bit worried which I guess is normal.

Be great to hear from anyone who has experienced this, at GOSH or elsewhere!

They are the best & will make it as easy as possible. Just make the point you have not experienced this before so they guide you, as sometimes they deal with families that have had many procedures. Hopefully they have shared when to give the last milk etc for the sedation.

You will probably have to wait for some time afterwards to check all ok - post sedation.

My 8 year-old has had a few MRI scans (about 6 I think) including one at 5 months. We did feed and wrap at that age and general anaesthetic when he was older.

Thank you so much for your replies! I know he’ll be in such good hands. Good tip about letting them know this is completely new for us.

Any ideas roughly how long we’d be staying afterwards for recovery? I hoped he could have feed and wrap but a few reasons why he can’t, mainly I think that he has to be cannulated as it’s with contrast.

My daughter had an MRI a few months ago when she was 9 months old. Not at GOSH but our small local hospital so the experience may differ slightly. She also had oral sedation.

As pp said, the hospital should have shared when they can have their last feed before sedation. It may differ but at my hospital I was allowed to stay within the MRI room during the scan, so made sure I dressed without any metallic metals on my clothes/jewellery.

Sedation was a scary thought but honestly was fine, she just went off to sleep and started coming round as we transferred back to the ward. She was a bit groggy and wobbly whilst the sedative wore off but we were able to go home once she was awake and eating properly. She had a 1 to 1 nurse the entire time she was under sedation so was very well looked after.

Hope everything goes ok on Tuesday.

I think we stayed for around 3 hours after her scan. A bit different as she was a little older but in our case they wanted to see her fully awake (sitting, playing normally etc) and make sure she was able to keep both milk and solid food down.

Mine had an MRI at 13 months with oral sedation (also a CT etc). Suspected brain tumour followed up by confirmed CP diagnosis.

She was fine. They were absolutely amazing, and very reassuring. They wanted her up and wobbling about plus eating/drinking before we could leave - it was about three hours. She was very emotional afterwards and needed lots of hugs.

Good luck.

My son had a MRI at GOSH when he was about 4 months old.

It sounds like a cliche but I guess that’s just because it’s so true. The staff are amazing.

I was by myself with him and they took such good care of both of us and were so kind and considerate.

I was allowed to be with him holding him while he was put under.I had a little wobble walking away and leaving him asleep when it was time for the scan but really the whole thing felt much less traumatic than I thought it would.

My son had a little temperature when he came around so we stayed for a few hours and I breast fed him while the nurses looked after me and bought me snacks.

They all seemed to love children so much. I remember a nurse asking if she would get her friend (another nurse there) as she wanted her to meet such a cute baby.

I think you’re right - everyone says the same about GOSH but it’s because it’s true! It’s so lovely to hear others’ experiences. I am so worried about leaving him while he’s under but I know he’ll be ok. He doesn’t do much yet at 5 months so imagine they’ll just want to see him awake and feeding ok.

We’re really lucky that they’ll allow my husband to be there too which isn’t always the case at the moment.

Thanks everyone for your kind messages.

I did have one more question if anyone happens to know the answer - what do they need to wear or is something provided? Nearly all his clothes have some kind of metal popper!

GOSH are amazing (you might want to check before going as possibly only 1 parent allowed in still).

When you get there in reception are often volunteers to help you find your way.

Will probably have to have dc eat/drink and look awake before being allowed to leave, take a change of clothes in case they are sick when coming round (perfectly normal). Try to be relaxed yourself (know hard) as this will help dc be relaxed.

They will have little theatre gowns he can pop on (and save his clothes!)

www.pyjamafairies.org/

These lovely people do beautiful pyjamas and gowns for children in hospital with no metal in them.

DOI: Paeds Anaesthetist with regular GA MRI list.

He'll need to be in a gown.

The radiographers have always been careful about what went in the scanner but are even more so at the moment as there have been incidents primarily in the US of adult patients getting burns from atheleisure wear that has silver woven into the fabric. We now read the clothing labels and if something isn't 100% cotton it comes off. As an NT adult who had a scan recently getting into a gown was totally non negotiable (and I then had to have a conversation with one of the male radiologists that I work with sans bra which was only slightly embarrassing)!

Some of my GA patients would find undressing pre-scan really difficult/ threatening so i seem to spend a lot of time undressing anaesthethetised children so they can have their scan safely. At the end we usually put the important things (pants!) back on. I wouldn't, however, expect this with sedation as once the kids are settled you don't really want to disturb them by trying to get their clothes off!

No experience of current GOSH sedation set up so can't tell you what to expect other than that it will all be very routine for the staff and very daunting for you! They'll take good care of him. I know that.

Thanks all again for all your kind comments and reassurance, of course it was all absolutely fine and he did so well! Was really hard before as they said he would be fasted for around 2 hours but ended up being more like 4 by the time it came to sedating him so he wasn’t happy! But he coped really well and has recovered nice and quickly.

I wish I’d known about the long break between feeds though, I wish I’d thought of it - ended up being over 6 hours and now I have a nasty bout of mastitis. Just relieved it’s done though!