Tips For Helping Your Child Prepare For An MRI

If you have a child that need to undergo MRI imaging, you are likely worried about him or her staying still long enough for the image to be accurate. You want to be sure that whatever the doctors are looking for can be easily found. Here are some tips for helping your child prepare for an MRI so that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Ask the Doctor for Recommendations

If you have a very young child or an infant, there is a good chance that he or she is going to need to be sedated. This can be scary for parents and for kids. Talk to your hospital's sedation team if you are particularly worried. If your child is old enough to know what is going on but young enough to need to be sedated, try to explain what will happen to him or her and reassure him or her that when he or she wakes up, you will be there. Be sure that you follow through on this promise. Your doctor will be able to recommend whether or not your child needs to be sedated for the procedure, so speak to him or her for more information.

2. Bring a Book to Read

Kids who are old enough to hold themselves still while in the MRI scanner will still likely need something to keep them occupied so that they stay still long enough In many cases, you will be able to talk to your child through the entirety of the scan. Bring a book to read to the child while he or she is in the scanner. This will help occupy your child's mind so that he or she is much less inclined to wiggle.

3. Schedule the Appointment for Early Morning

If your child is a little bit sleepy, he or she is going to have a much easier time staying still in the MRI. Try to schedule the appointment for as early in the day as possible to ensure that your child is relatively tired when he or she goes in for the MRI.

4. Practice

Finally, consider practicing with your child a few days leading up to the procedure so that he or she knows how still he or she has to be. This will allow you to adequately set expectations for your child.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in MRI imaging. For more information, contact companies like Kenai Peninsula Imaging Center, LLC.

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