MRI Scan - General Anaesthetic or not?

[MABS]

I'm sorry to post again asking for help ,particularly after my recent absence from the boards, but I wondered if anyone had any advice. As some of you know I have a 2 yr old ds with cerebral palsy and am very used to him having to visit hospitals etc! This time the problem is with dd, aged nearly 8 ...... For the past 6 - 8 wks she has been suffering with very bad heads and exhaustion. To cut a long story short, Gp has tried migraine medication - no help - and last wk referred her to a consultant. Much to our shock the hospital rang us the next day and spent 2 days taking bloods, coordination tests etc. We have now been told that they want an MRI done 'as a matter of urgency' Apparently she will have to stay totally still for about 15 mins. They said 7 yrs and under would be definite general anaesthetic, but cos she's nearly 8 they hope she can stay awake. Anyone had any experience of this ?

I am so sorry the your Dd has been unwell. I have not had a MRI and neither have my children but Dh has had 2 MRI scans. He found them quite claustrophobic (he doesn't have a problem with claustrophobia),noisy and stressful. I think it depends on how well she can cope with being confined. You also have an injection before that makes your mouth taste funny, and it makes you warm up a bit. Dh said that was odd rather than unpleasent, but he was in his 30s when he had it.

Hope everything goes well

Hi MABS, so sorry to hear about your dd. No advice, just wanted to offer some moral support - I hope all goes well for you.

Oh MABS, how horrid. I've been missing you about the boards and wondering how you were and I'm so sorry to hear that things aren't so good right now. How dreadful for you and dd and the rest of the family. I really hope everything will be just fine and that this is just a precautionary measure.

Re the anaesthetic, I guess I agree with hmb that it depends a lot on dd and whether she will feel ok and be able to keep still. How is she generally with fidgetiness, need to move about etc? And is she quite a sensitive, fearful child or would she be likely to take this kind of thing in her stride? I suppose she's old enough- and if I remember previous posts correctly she's a bit of a bright spark, isn't she?- to have some input on this if you have a chat with her and asks what she'd prefer/what she feels able to cope with? Best of luck MABS and loads of cyberhugs to you. xx

Hi Mabs, I don't have any children who have had an mri at the age of 8, but 2 of mine have had it done while still young. This might help you to make up your mind though. You have to be extremely still, not even a bit of fidgeting around is allowed or else the scan will not show the proper results. It is also very loud inside the mri machine, so it would also depend on whether or not your daughter would be able to cope with it, and she might feel claustrophobic too. The mother of a friend had one done recently and she said she didn't enjoy it at all, and would much rather have been asleep. Not trying to worry you, just telling you what I have learned. Hope this helps you to make a decision, and best wishes to you and your daughter.

Hi Mabs
I've had a couple of MRI scans myself and would like to firstly reassure you that they are totally painless (you probably know that already huh?) I'm mildly claustrophobic but I actually found it okay. From my experience, you dont have to lay totally still for the whole 15 mins, each 'picture' takes anywhere between 3 and 6 mins with perhaps a 30 sec gap in between but your daughter will be on her own, on the scan bed, for the full time. While the pictures are being taken the machine will make very loud banging noises, sometimes sounding like a horse galloping or a train and sometimes just bang, bang, bang. In between, the nurse (or perhaps even you) will be able to talk to you daughter via a loud speaker inside the scanner. I would have thought, although I am no docotr or expert, that you could try first without an anaesthetic and see how she gets on. I she does wriggle too much or gets distressed, then use the GA but better perhaps to try first without it.

My 12 year old nephew had a head and spine MRI scan done at Great Ormond Street just 2 months ago and, for what it's worth, he thought it was the coolest thing ever.

I wish you all the very best. Let's know how you get on.

MABS, I'm so sorry to hear your dd has been unwell and has to have a scan. DD2 had an MRI recently - as others have said, you have to keep completely still for quite some time and the machine is very noisy. The day I was there there was a girl of about 8 and she seemed quite upset by it. Of course it depends on your dd. Could they use a sedative rather than a GA? That's what dd had and she slept right through the whole thing and for several hours afterwards!

mabs, what a worry for you. Can't offer you any practical advice, either but hope all goes well whatever you decide to so. It sounds like the hospital service is very efficient, and it is just a precautinary measure. Hope you get good news soon.

MABS, so sorry to hear this. No advice either but good luck.

No advice either, MABS, except maybe try for a sedative for her...but good luck and sincerely hope it's just a precaution. So sorry to hear about this latest worry for you all.

No advice from here either but hoping it's a good result.

I don't really know anything about it, but wishing you all all the best.

thanks for all your kind thoughts and advice. I'm starting to feel really sick about the whole thing now! I think i'm going to really quiz the MRI dept on the phone tomorrow.

Mabs I am an ex MRI radiographer (with lots of kid experience). If you need to chat/ask questions ask Mumsnet for my email address

MABS - my son had an MRI when he was 5 and he coped with it remarkably well without anaesthetic. He stayed incredibly still - a nurse and I stayed at his feet the whole time and stroked his legs and talked to him. A couple of tips you might find useful - there were facilities to play a tape while lying in the scanner - taking a favourite story can help. Also my son had to miss meals beforehand incase he needed an anaesthetic - we took ready snacks for him to eat the minute he came out of the scanner as he was starving! The hospital my son was treated in was extremely good at play therapy - preparing the children for every stage of their treatment. For the scanner this was done with a play tunnel and a board on wheels and I certainly think this helped.

I will be thinking of you both and hope all goes well.

MABS, I haven't had a chance to read all replies, so sorry if I'm repeating anything.

When ds1 was 4 moths he had to have all over x-rays, a MRI and other tests where her had to lay still. For the x-rays the nurse held him still, and I would never let that happen again, even now, almost 4 years later I can hear him crying, and the whole scene.

But for the MRI he was just sedated, and that was enough, maybe you could ask for this, especially as you dd is 8.

I hope it all goes well, our one went well and he had only the one. Since then he has quite a few scans on his kidneys where again he has to lay still, and he gets on fine, has been known to go to sleep!

Hope it all goes well MABS, just remember, if you are not happy with what the hospital do, say so, we never did, and it is something I still regret to this day.

Just re-read my message, I'm sorry what I wrote about the x-rays, just horrible thinking about it. MRI is much easier. Sorry!

Hello Mabs
sorry to hear about your dd, I can understand that you don't want her to have a general anaesthetic unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps a mild sedative as others have suggested would be the best thing. I had to have x-rays when I was 9 years old (I don't think MRI scanners had been developed that long ago!) and whilst I was being very "good" and trying not to move, I actually kept shaking because I was nervous! I do hope that the doctors are just being extra cautious in your dd's case and please do not be shy about asking for help here even if we can only offer emotional support. Love Cam.

Mabs just to add its difficult to sedate anyone over about 5 for a proceedure, so at your doughters age its either GA or nothing

Carriemac, I wish you had made yourself known before my ds had his done, I was a nervous wreck! Can you tell me why everyone here is saying that you can stay with your child, but they wouldn't even let me in the same room when ds had his? I had to go and get him from recovery instead.

You can stay in the room with them for an MRI unless you are pregnant or have metalllic implants. If your child is under GA, there is no point in staying in the scan room as they are asleep and its v noisy for you. You can be there for them waking up in recovery.

Thanks for all your advice. Carriemac - do I have to decide in advance whether dd needs a sedative? do they need an anaesthetist there to do it ? is it IV or just a syrup? sorry for all the questions but dd's been quite poorly taoday and i'm worried. Thanks

has anyone heard from MABS? Do we know how she and her DD are doing?

Mabs, our postings totally overlapped. Sorry to hear your DD has been poorly today although my being sorry is of no use of comfort to you I know. Do you have a date now for the scan?