Hello all. My son Anthony needs to have an MRI on Friday for the sacral dimple in his spine-to rule out spina bifida. I'm not too concerned because he had a CT scan while in the hospital and that came out clear. I guess the MRI just goes deeper...Anyways... He will be 11 weeks on Thursday. The nurse on the phone told me he can not have any b/m or formula after 2:45 am! His MRI is at 8:45am. She said he could have watered down apple juice, or some type of water until 6:45am. I don't feel comfortable doing that. Anyone else have to do something similar? So little to have apple juice-I don't know! I am going to feed him at 2 am sharp-hopefully he will last 6 hours...But I doubt it. Maybe I should give a call in to the pedi to ask him?? What would you do? And he needs to be super tired. What a fun day Friday is looking to be! Thanks in advance for any responses!
I dont have any experience on fasting a baby that young but one of my boys had to have surgery about a month ago and he was not allowed anything after 11pm up until the surgery that was scheduled at 9:30 am the next day. So I did the normal routine at night and then I got up and did a dream feed with him at 11pm. I could give him clear liquids up until 6am so I got him up at 6 and offered him some Pedialyte and he said, "no way." So I was prepared for a day from **** and he totally surprised me and did great. Also my older dd at 9 mo had to have tubes put in and we had to fast her too and she too surprised me and was not begging for food at all. So I guess what I am trying to say is that he may surprise you and do just great so dont set yourself up to worry about it before it happens. Hope this helps a bit and good luck with the MRI!
Meg, When my daughter was only three weeks old, she went for a gastrointestinal study and they fasted her for four hours (she was still in the hospital). We had to repeat the study when she was 12 weeks old and that time she had to fast for six hours. I worried in advance like you that we were going to have a horrible day, but she did better than I expected. She was tired and cranky but didn't really seem hungry before the procedure. Then, I fed her right afterwards and she seemed like herself only a few hours after coming home. My only advice is to have a bottle ready for immediately after the MRI. Oh, and even if the nurse on the phone said it's ok, I would not feed an 11 week old apple juice if he's not already used to it. Maybe some water in a bottle so he stays hydrated. Good luck!
Thanks for the responses! Just plain ol water? Should I check with pedi first? I guess I shouldn't get all worried first...I was that way with their shots. And minus the crying when they got the shots-they were perfect! No fevers, no crankiness-nothing. So maybe he will surprise me. Although today it seems like they are eating every TWO hours! What gives? LOL!
My son has had several MRIis of his brain, the first at 2 weeks old and the most recent last month at 18 months old. I only gave him water if he wanted a drink before the test. You mentioned he needs to be tired for the MRI - I assume they are NOT sedating him? I don't know about the MRI for your son. but my son needed to be absolutely still for his brain MRIs. And there was no way he would stay that still for 20 minutes to a half hour. So he was given oral sedation (choral hydrate) every time. You may want to ask about that, because if he moves too much during the test they may have to start all over again and baby (and you) will get increasingly upset. Good luck - I hope it all turns out fine.
QUOTE(becky5 @ Jan 2 2008, 01:25 PM) [snapback]554607[/snapback] No experience, but I would not do apple juice. I would go with Pedialyte or water. :hug99: ditto - and I would probably go w/the pedialyte over the water. we gave the boys pedialyte at right around 3 months 9they were sick; pedi recommended it) and it was fine.
I wouldn't want to do apple juice either, but pedialyte or water would be fine. I would even be comfy with water, since it should really only be a little bit and not enough to throw his electrolytes out of balance. Ethan and Anthony have needed several MRIs and CT scans since 2 weeks old and they've always done fine with the fasting. I mean, they cried and were hungry!! But it never caused any sort of dehydration problems or anything. Usually...the do an MRI to see soft tissues and a CT to see bone structures, so maybe that's why he needs the 2nd scan. I hope the results come back encouraging and that the fasting is easy on you both!
