DS2 (0.6) going in for MRI tomorrow - reassurance needed

[mm22bys]

Hi,

My DS2 (0.6) is going into hospital tomorrow morning for an MRI scan.

He has seen an opthalmologist twice now about vision problems and was told on Tuesday that his vision is improving. He also saw a neurologist back at the start of March who told us that while back then he doesn't have a "neurological condition" that he would need an MRI.

Well, the time has come round now and it is tomorrow.

He will have a general anaesthetic (gas) so can't have any milk after 3am, but can have "diluted squash" (whatever that is - is that just diluted fruit juice?) up till about 6am, and we have to be at the ward by 7.30am.

I don't really know what to expect, and while I am now "looking forward" to it (as hopefully we will be closer to some sort of diagnosis) I am really concerned about him not being able to eat from so early, let alone having the anaesthetic.

Any past experiences showing your dc's were fine would be so hugely appreciated,

Thx

bumping for you

Can't offer any experience I'm afraid.
Hope all goes well though

He's going to be hungry and grumpy! For an MRI they will use a light sedative so he doesn't move and blur the image. Once he's out they'll position him in the machine and turn it on. You'll be able to watch (usually) from the observation area. It'll all be done in 30 minutes or so.
I imagine whenhe wakes up he might feel a bit groggy. Might even be sick. My daughter was.
Good luck and hope it is clear.

DD1 has had 2 MRIs under GA, one at 1.0, one at 2.0. And yes, she was fine!

There have been threads about this before but I can't find them . So this is our experience:

• arrive. Fill in daft forms about whether LO is breastfeeding or possibly pregnant.
• faff about. Chat with anaesthetist.
• sedation. With wee ones, usually by gas. Mask goes over the face, they go woozy and pass out fairly quickly. That's the upsetting part, they look so helpless. At the place we go to (Atkinson Morley) they let you hold them for this bit and say goodnight.
• you leave while they prep LO. Tube goes in the mouth - safety precaution in case barfs due to GA and needs clear airway, probability of that near zero as only needs light GA to keep them still. Also they tape the eyes shut as they go all dry and itchy if they open under GA as you are too far under to blink!
• go to the cafe, get a coffee while scan is on. Circa 30 mins depending what they are doing.
• get back, they wheel LO out into recovery.
• on waking, may be queasy from the GA, more likely just grumpy as starving hungry.
• bring food/drink/whatever: they don't let them eat straight off (for fear of it bouncing) but won't let you leave till they have eaten something and shown they can keep it down.
• home again, you would not know it had happened, no effect whatsoever.

Sorry - missed this, and am now too late to be of help - so I hope it all went ok.

They usually try and put small children in early so that the starvation happens overnight. We managed by jollying DS along as soon as he woke up, whisking him out of his normal routine so that he wasn't expecting breakfast. Lots of distraction.

Anyway - hope you are almost home and back to normal

Thanks for all your support, yes we are back now, it was all pretty non-eventful, the worst part was definitely seeing DS so hungry.

Luckily he was first though, and I left him just as he was "passing out" from the gas.

It really helped knowing most of what to expect, thanks for all the accounts of your experiences.

Now we just have to wait till Monday week to see the neurologist!

Glad this part is over with not too much trouble.
Fingers crossed for your neurologists appointment.