MRI - Very, Very Scared!

Scary stuff. My 8 month old twins both had to have an MRI and be sedated. If you're not afraid to try it 2x, you can always try without, but really more than likely he will need to be sedated. I cried my eyes out because I had to put each baby out with the mask over their face and I just felt that they were looking to me for rescuing and I was holding them down instead. It was over before I knew it and then I was dealing with VERY CRANKY twins when they awoke. Long story short-- I had to do it & I'm glad I did but it was hard.

Good luck!

I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said, but I do hope that you'll let us know how it goes-- particularly if you choose not to have him sedated.

Thanks and hang in there!

The MRI machine is very loud. Don't know that he'll sleep through it. Even with ear plugs it's still very noisy. Also, going around his normal nap time may be a bay idea. From my experience my kids are harder to control and more upset near nap time. Maybe first thing in the morning is better. And I'd just go with some type of sedation. They do have drugs to relax you rather than put you to sleep.

MRI's are very loud.... so that is why they suggest sedating a very young child. And, if the child/person is not completely STILL during the procedure, they cannot get a good screening.

Here is a link on it. Apparently there are different types of MRI machines:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2008070815410...

Ask your Pediatrician about that.

There is no way to GUARANTEE putting your baby into a "deeper" sleep. As you know, babies cannot be made to sleep deep, if they cannot. And some babies are simply more sensitive to sounds/noise than others.
Even if scheduling him during his normal nap/tired times... this may or may not help. Some babies and children get more fussy when they are tired, OR over-tired. So something to consider.

Take care,
Susan

D.,

I think my sister had an MRI when she was 14 and it took them three tries to get a good image because the noise and the atmosphere is a bit scary.

What I'd like to suggest is asking if you can have the name and contact information of the anesthesiologist who will be responsible for your son during the procedure. Ask him/her what your options are and what the side effects are and what to expect after. I did this when my son had a surgery to resolve Phymosis, and the information helped me choose the best course of action for my son based on my gut instincts and being educated and the whole facts.

Good Luck!

Hi D.,

As others have mentioned, the MRI machines are quite loud. I am almost certain that if your son is asleep at the time of his MRI, he will most definitely wake up because of the noise.

Talking to the anesthesiologist ahead of time is a good idea too.

A couple months ago, my son fell at school and bit his tongue (he was about 16 months old at the time). In doing so, he bit right through his tongue and there was a slit on the side. He needed stitches for this wound and needed to be put to sleep for it. I wasn't concerned about it because I knew it was something that needed to be done to get the stitches in there. But it all went very quickly. They administered the anesthesia and he was out right away. I wasn't allowed to stay, so I left right then and went outside, changed car seats to my moms car, and by the time I came back inside my son was already awake. This was all in a matter of maybe 15-20 minutes maximum. My son seemed fine, he was just a little restless and groggy but had no other effects.

It is scary but I doubt you have anything to worry about. I don't remember MRI's taking too long to do, so I would think his sedation would be similar to my sons.

Good luck!

-Char

Dear D.,

I had my MRI done last Summer and I can assure you that if I had phobia about being in a tight place so would a little child. The procedure usually takes up to half hour. Your child will be awaken by the loud noice even if you were to put him to sleep first. The experience alone if he were to awaken while in the machine would be trumatic and in the end he will most likely have to be sedated. It is the only way to keep a child from moving. Be assured that whoever will be performing the sedation will be a trained person.
Next time I have to go for an MRI I will ask for something to relax me because even as an adult I was scared.

F.

D.,
I am so sorry to hear that your daughter has to go through having an MRI and being under general anesthesia at this age. My son, Kyle has epilepsy and at around 4 months old had to be sedated also for an MRI. I know that it must be a whole separate situation being that your daughter is 13 months old and more aware of her surroundings than my son was at 4 months old, but the biggest piece of advice that I can give you is to keep your head up and don't let her know that it's a big deal because our little ones can read our body language and facial expressions and get worried. Also...be sure to bring whatever stuffed animal or security blankie that she is attached to with you the day of the MRI because most hospitals will allow you to be in recovery with your child as they monitor them while the anesthesia wears off and believe me, when your daughter is waking up and all out of sorts it will be comforting to have her security blankie or favorite animal there by her side (along with her mama that is:). Your family will be in our prayers. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions or advice :)

D. -
My son had to have an MRI at 4 months....i agree with others when they say you really won;t have an option other than to sedate him because of the noise - he will wake up otherwise.
I will give you this piece of advice: there will be a window of time leading up to the MRI in which your son will not be allowed to eat or drink. try to schedule his appt so that it is within a time frame when he won;t be screaming for food or milk - this part can be brutal if your son is hungry. Please make sure this is considered before the appt is scheduled.
The whole process is scary, but you will get though it. Try not to let your son see your nervousness or fear although i know firsthand that it is easier said than done.

Hi D.,

I had an MRI done on my son when he was barely 2. It was a very scarey thing, but I don't think we could have done it without sedation. They let me stay inside the MRI chamber with him and that thing is so loud that I couldn't imagine anyone, even a baby, sleeping through it. We sedated my son and they tried to keep it as light as possible. The problem was that he kept moving so they finally had to fully sedate him. They had a pediatrician there the whole time to monitor and everything went perfectly. I wouldn't worry too much.

L.

do the sleep thing first.
I was scared when they had to scan my son who feel from the table while my mom was changing my daughter right in front of him. Somehow he climbed up and she slowly went to get him but he feel anyway. But he was scared with the scan but he stayed perfectly still.
they have dones scans of my daughter and they did have to give her a sedative she was fine. It was weird though because she looked like she was drunk. She just kept giggling after.

I've had about 10 MRI's. They are extremely loud and I cannot imagine a 13 month old sleeping through it even if he's asleep beforehand. They also take a good amount of time. They're also kind of freaky in that they're very confined and for me - someone's who not normally claustrophobic - if I open my eyes, kind of start to lose it because the top of the thing is right in front of your face and you can't see your feet. I've even had what they call an "open" MRI a few times, but it's still pretty close. You also have to hold real still so they can get the pictures - not an easy task when they're banging a drum in your ears. If you move, they have to put you through it again. I'm not telling you what to do... just wanted you to know what to expect.

I just wanted to chime in that my son had an MRI at 16 months, and I was terrified about him being sedated. However, it was made clear to me that the test would lose all accuracy if he even flinched. The anesthiesologist explained the entire process to me and I was with my son as he went to sleep. The nurses were amazing. They got me right away as he went into recovery. He woke up mad, but immediately drank some milk and was fine from that point forward. The rest of the day was as though nothing happened. I don't know why your son needs the MRI. We needed to rule out a significant spinal issue that would have required surgery. I kept reminding myself that it was necessary. In the end, it was waaaay easier than I anticipated. Good luck!

Sedation does sound very frightening to most of us. I have experiences with each of my 3 boys being sedated at different times for different medical issues. While it does cause me to be concerned, it was for the best. MRI's can be pretty noisy, so he would probably need to be in a pretty deep sleep like you mentioned. All I can say is that in the big picture, sedation is typically safe and kids do well after sedation usually. I work at a large Children's Hospital and see it often. I am not saying there has not been the occasional issue, but it is so rare. I would always try to use non pharmagological interventions/ideas before meds/etc. If it doesn't work, the sedation will probably work out fine. Best of luck!

Oh, D., I really feel for you! Sedating a little one is sooo scary. I can see why it would be difficult for you. I've had numerous MRIs and they are very, very loud. Unfortunately, even if your little guy was in a deep sleep when he went into the MRI, he would likely wake in the middle of it. I would imagine that that would be very scary for him to wake up alone in a small, bright, loud tube. If you decide that it is in his best interest to sedate him, I would check the credentials of the anesthesiologist and have a long conversation with him/her first.
Best of luck!!
L.

Hi D.,

My son has had ultrasounds and MRI's since he was born. The last two MRI's he had to be sedated for them because he was 1 and 2yrs old. I was strongly opposed to it, but had no choice. It was necessary and there was no way he would get through the MRI without it. I was in the room with him the whole time, they gave him the very minimal dose and were so accurate that within seconds of the MRI scan finishing (about 30min) he woke up. We stayed in the recovery area for about 30min after and he was completely out of it and ready to go on as normal. Some kids take longer to adjust coming out of it, but my son was ready to eat lunch and play within the hour. We did watch him carefully because they say he can be groggy, not to let him run around or ride a bike on his own. Best wishes, I will keep you and your son in our prayers.

C.

www.HelpUstayHome.com

My son had 2 MRIs at the age of 3. I know you're anxious about this; I strongly recommend you sedate him. When my son had his MRIs, they sedated him with chloral hydrate (liquid form). There was no anesthesiologist. The machine is loud and they can be in it for up to 30 minutes. My son was sedated and they still told me to keep him up all night and scheduled the MRI for early in the morning. When my son had his MRIs (at Kaiser) they checked him into the hospital for the day, assigned him his own nurse who NEVER left his side, and then kept him in a room after, until he woke up and a pediatrician cleared him to go home. Best of luck.

D.,
I realize that you're adamant about not sedating your son, but in order to get through the MRI successfully, he has to be EXTREMELY still, and like others have mentioned, if he wakes up halfway through the procedure, it might just cause unnecessary trauma. My boy was 13 months old when he had to have an EEG done where they attach a bunch of wires to the head to measure brain waves, just in case (his daycare provider said he'd had 2 seizures, but we never noticed anything). In our case, they gave him a little vial to drink, and he basically just fell asleep in about 5 minutes. We laid him on the table, they attached a bunch of wires which took about 30 minutes, then ran the EEG for about another 30-45 minutes. Then the nurse began removing the wires and he started coming to. She was able to get all of the wires off before he fully awoke, luckily, but he was fine. He was groggy, almost like he was hungover, but by the time we made it home (30 minutes) he was ready to play again.

It's a scary thing to watch your kid undergo something like that, but without sedating him, you'd just be wasting the doctors and nurse's time, as well as traumatizing your son. I say allow the sedation and let him sleep right through it.

I would be scared too. My son has had lots and lots of MRI's, 25+? and your son will need to be sedated. You didn't say what part of the body is getting the MRI so, the length of time I can not gauge. From experience, this is what i know, at 8 my son could do it w/o anesthesia. And they had to redo a couple things. MRI's are very loud, Versed (sp?) should be offered to your son, it's a drug that makes them loopy, and they do not remember being put under. My son did versed for yrs before they put him under, and then we stopped, because recovery time was longer. if you are having the MRI at St Joe's pavilion they have popsicles after-and they give the kid a toy. my son is all about the popsicle. Anesthesia is much safer than it was, I have no idea what changed, i don't know if it's the monitoring, or the drugs they use. But, your son will also need to have a history and physical done by his pediatrician before he will be given anesthesia. I doubt your mind will be at ease w/ the procedure until it's over. Good luck to you.

that is a scary thing and not the mri its self but the sedation. they only sedate because you have to lie still for the whole process. i would try to put him to sleep and if that doesnt work because hes feeling your stress then let them sedate him. i know its scarey but it will make the process less traumatic for him. the sedation is minimal basically just to ralax and inmoble them but still scary. good luck im sure youll get a lot of feed back. i hope the mri goes well for whatever reason its being done.

Ask your doctor if it is okay to give your son melatonin before the procedure. Whole Foods has an orange flavored sublingual one that my son, who has had sleep issues, just chewed - worked just the same. Trader Joe's also has a peppermint flavored one that is not as strong at the WF's one and was not a flavored that my son embraced until he was 5.

Hope this helps.

I know exactly how you feel...we had to sedate our son last summer (he's just three) because he needed eight stiches on his finger and it just wouldn't work with him awake. It was scary, but they sedated him so he wasn't completely under, but it seemed like it. I have to say, the worst part was the noise he made. I guess it relaxed his vocal cords, so he sounded like he was snoring sort of...He came out of it just fine though and it was the best thing in the end.

Having had an MRI myself, I can tell you I don't think it will work to just put him to sleep yourself. Oddly, they are REALLY loud...There is constant noise when you are in there and the noise changes all the time as well. I can't imagine sleeping through that and can't think you'll ever get him back in there again if he ends up waking up in there. That would be so scary. I'm not a claustrophic person, pretty petite and it was still a little unnerving and uncomfortable to be in there. Really consider sedating him. I understand how you feel about it, but it might be best.

-M

Hi D.,
My grandaughter was put to sleep several times during a two week hospital stay at Millers Childrens Hospital in Long Beach. If I remember right it was 4 or 5 times. She is three & was diagnosed with J.R.A. She had a spinal tap, a bone scan, an M.R.I., a brian scan, organ scans, a bone marrow test...and on and on. All must be done when testing for J.R.A. She was anemic at the time & very sickly since the type of J.R.A. she has makes children very ill in the beginning. I tell you this to encourage you. She survived it each time but was VERY scary for all of us. The best to you & your family, C.

Hi D., for an MRI they need the patient very still and very quiet if they sadate him it will be better for him, he won't even remember the experience. the machine is loud, I know for adults they put heads phones on them but they can still hear the machine. you don't want your little guy to wake up and in the machine, they will only give hime enough medicine to get hime through the proceedure, it may last an hour after it's over then he will wake up and he will be fine. J. L.

My son had one at about age 2. They gave him a sedative to make him sleepy. It wasn't a big deal. Unfortunately, they need to be very still. If you just put him to sleep and then put him in and he wakes up, he may flip out! Obviously using anesthesia to totally put him to sleep would be unnecessary and dangerous, but a sedative isn't going to harm him. Good luck!

We had to do a brain evoked response and same thing I didn't want to sedate him. The nurse had a suggestion that worked for other parents and us - we kept him up literally all night. He was so exhausted when he got there he fell asleep and stayed asleep until they had to wake him to do the second part of the test - it worked brilliantly for us. For the MRI, whennever I've had one they always request I bring in a CD to play music - maybe they will let you play some sleepy titles?

Hi D.,

I'm sorry you're experiencing this frightening situation. My daughter needed an EEG at the age of 14 months old that required she remain very still. I also elected not to place her under general anesthesia for purposes of a diagnostic exam versus actual treatment or surgery. Instead, I kept her up all night until her appointment time. I made it fun by playing games and singing songs and dancing. She is normally more active than most but was extremely sleepy at the time of the procedure. I also explained the procedure in advance and stressed the importance of her remaining still realizing that she might not comprehend but that on some level she would grasp the importance of this. She did really well. The test proved the doctor's assessment to be a misdiagnosis. The presence of a caring and patient technician also calmed my nerves. I wish you the best.

E.

HI D.,
I have been through 2 MRIs and they are pretty awful. First you are in a very tight confined area (similar to a coffin) and secondly there is a very loud banging sound that occurs every few seconds. I imagine that it will be very difficult for your child to stay asleep in the machine without a sedative. Also, if he woke up during the MRI, while inside, that could really traumatize the little guy. I would consider using the sedation.

D., I know what you are going through. When my daughter was 3 she had to have multiple CAT scan and it was very difficult. They didn't completely put her out, but they gave her something to relax her so she would hold still. She was older that your son so I could reason with her some, but it was still very hard. I would suggest giving him something to relax him and doing it during nap time, and if that doesn't work go from there. But I don't blame you for not wanting him completely under. Also the technision that did the scans on my daughter was very impatient, now looking back I don't know why I put up with that. Good luck!
It also sounds like the work situation you and your husband are in is not easy. I have found a was to bring in some extra income, and it has really helped us out. If you want some more info on that let me know. Dana

my son had a mri done it was scary for me but he was just fine when they sedated him. It's a three step sedation and they said that they're not even fully asleep, which he wasn't. Your son will be fine whether he has the medication or not. Good luck!

My daughter had two MRIs at about 16 months. One she was not sedated. She was terrified by the noise and the whole process. I was with her and I would NEVER want her to experience that again. The second one she was sedated and there was no problem at all. Recovery was quick and she doesn't remember a thing. They don't put them into a really deep sedation. Just enough strength to last the MRI. I totally understand your fears. She had surgery at a very young age and we were very worried about the sedation. All of our experiences were great at Children's Hospital. Best of luck and know you are not alone!