MRI scans for babies?

[ninedragons]

Has anyone's baby had an MRI scan?

DD (four months old) is being referred for one because of a haemangioma on her jaw. GP said it would take about half an hour but their chances of getting DD to lie still inside a big clanking machine for 30 minutes are vanishingly close to zero. Do they sedate babies for the scans?

I volunteered my baby for one at a day old so he did stay still for a while as he slept for ages. Am not sure what they do with older ones.

They need brain scans of healthy full term babies to compare to the very early ones they had in their neo-natal unit. It was great for us cos they found out he had an odd (but perfectly ok) bit of his brain. And if he had an accident or something we would know that.

Usually for babies and small children they give a general anaesthetic as then they are certain to stay still.

My baby had one aged two weeks and didn't need sedating. They di what they called "cuddle and wrap", basically I fed her till she went to sleep, she was swaddled so couldnt move very easily. Being so newborn, she slept through some of the noise but thankfully didn't wriggle much when she did wake up and it was ok. I'm not sure whether they would need sedation for an older baby though because of the wriggling. While we were there other children (toddlers)had theirs done under sedation and it seemed to be very quick and not too hard on them although obviously I know how scary it is when it is your child (my DD has since had a GA and will be having another later in the year).

My youngest daughter has had many MRI scans and had GA until she was 7 - she was 18 months when she had the first one - for a benign brain tumour. It was never a problem for her and she usually woke about 30 minutes afterwards. Last one next year (touch wood!)

Thanks everyone!

Hope everyone at the centre knows what they're doing - apparently it's the very first week of operation. If they're anything like me they'll be wondering why it's not working then realise it's not plugged in.