Preparing Your Child for a Procedure

What is a CT scan? 

• A CT scan is a camera that takes pictures of the inside of your body. It looks like a big doughnut.

Why is it important to have a CT scan?

• The doctors want to take some pictures of a (specific body part) to help see what might be making you feel bad, hurt, etc.

Your job during a CT scan

• The most important job you have is to stay really still.

What happens when having a CT scan?

• You will lay on the bed as it slides through the middle of the circle.
• The CT camera makes a soft humming sound when it is taking the pictures.
• You may be given special picture water called contrast. There are different ways to get the contrast into your body, including drinking or through an IV. The radiology technologist will let you know which way is needed for your pictures.
• Some kids say their bodies feel warm all over or like they are going pee when the picture water goes into the IV.
• The radiology technologist taking the pictures will be able to see you and talk to you during the procedure.

Things that can help when having a CT scan

• You can bring a blanket or a soft toy to hold during the CT.
• Close your eyes and use your imagination. Think about your favorite place to go, being in outer space, a castle at Disneyland or at the beach, etc.
• You may be able to have a caregiver present during your CT scan; a team member will visit with your caregiver at your appointment.

What is an IV? 

• An IV is a small straw that is placed into your vein (blue line) to give your body drinks of water or medicine.

Why is it important to have an IV?

• Your body needs contrast to help X-ray pictures show up brighter or you need sedation/anesthesia medicine to help you be asleep for your X-ray pictures or surgery.

Your job during an IV

• The most important job you have is to keep your arm/hand very still.
• Take big, deep breaths.

What happens when getting an IV?

• A tight rubber band (tourniquet) will be placed around your arm and the nurse will look for the best place (best blue line) for the IV.
• The nurse will then clean the spot with a wet cleaning wipe.
• Next a small needle is used to slide the straw into your vein. The needle is then removed and thrown away.
• A bandage or tape will hold the straw in place.

Things that can help when getting an IV

• LMAX lotion can be placed on the site prior to the IV start to help numb your skin.
• Buzzy Bee (ask your nurse or child life specialist) can also help as a drug free pain relief.
• Take deep breaths, look at a book, IPAD or movie. 
• Count, sing a song.
• You can also watch as they put the IV in, just remember your most important job is to hold your arm still!

What is an MRI? 

• An MRI is a large circle camera with a tunnel going through the middle that takes pictures of the inside of your body.

Why is it important to have an MRI?

• The doctors want to take pictures of a specific body part to help see what might be making you feel bad or hurt.

Your job during an MRI

• The most important job you have is to stay very still.

What happens when having an MRI?

• You will first change into hospital pajamas or scrubs.
• You will lay on the bed and the bed slides through the tunnel.
• The MRI camera makes loud sounds when it takes pictures, like very loud hums, knocks, beeps and clicks. Ear plugs or headphones can help with the sounds.
• Special picture water called contrast may also be given through an IV.
• The radiology technologist who is taking the pictures will be able to see you and talk to you during the procedure.

Things that can help when having an MRI

• You may be able to have a caregiver present during your MRI scan; a staff member will visit with your caregiver at your appointment.
• Close your eyes and use your imagination: think about your favorite place to go, being in outer space, Disneyland, a castle or a t the beach.

What is an upper GI (gastrointestional)? 

• An upper GI is a group of x-ray pictures taken of the digestive system, including the esophagus and stomach, and the first part of the small intestine.

Why is it important to have an upper GI?

• An upper GI helps the doctor to see how food or drinks moves from your mouth to your stomach.

Your job during an upper GI

• Follow all the instructions like not eating or drinking before your pictures.
• Take big drinks when the doctor asks you to.

What happens when having an upper GI?

• You will lie on a special table to have x-ray pictures taken. The camera will move but will not touch you.
• You will be given barium to drink through a straw. Barium is a white liquid used during an upper GI that helps the doctor to see what is going on inside your body. The barium can be mixed with Kool-Aid flavoring.
• The doctor will take pictures while you drink the barium.
• The doctor may ask you to roll from side to side while the pictures are being taken.

Things that can help when having an upper GI

• Look at a book or movie.
• Look at the pictures being taken on the screen beside the x-ray camera.

What is an upper GI with small bowel follow through (SBFT)? 

• An upper GI is a group of x-ray pictures taken of the digestive system, including the esophagus and stomach, with more pictures of the entire small intestine.

Why is it important to have an upper GI with SBFT?

• An upper GI helps the doctor to see how food or drinks moves from your mouth to your stomach and through your small intestine.

Your job during an upper GI with SBFT

• Follow all the instructions like not eating or drinking before your pictures.
• Take big drinks when the doctor asks you to.

What happens when having an upper GI with SBFT?

• You will lie on a special table to have x-ray pictures taken. The camera will move but will not touch you.
• You will be given barium to drink through a straw. Barium is a white liquid used during an upper GI that helps the doctor to see what is going on inside your body. The barium can be mixed with Kool-Aid flavoring.
• The doctor will take pictures while you drink the barium.
• The doctor may ask you to roll from side to side while the pictures are being taken. The radiology technologist will take pictures every 30-60 minutes until the barium has moved through your small intestine.

Things that can help when having an upper GI with SBFT

• Bring a book to read, movie to watch or game to play to help you stay busy while you wait. The test can take up to 3-4 hours to complete.
• Between pictures you can walk around, as this helps the barium to move through.

What is a Urinary Catheter?

• A urinary catheter is a small plastic tube that is put into your bladder. Your bladder, which is the place inside your body that holds your pee (urine).

Why is it important to have a Urinary Catheter?

• A catheter helps your body to pee when you are not able to.

Your job during the Urinary Catheter placement

• The most important job you have is to lie very still on the bed.
• Take slow, deep breaths.

What happens when having a Urinary Catheter placed?

• You will lie on your back on a bed.
• If you are a girl, you will be asked to make frog legs.
• Your nurse may place some numbing jelly in the area where your pee comes out of your body.
• The nurse will clean the area where your pee comes out with brown soap.
• The nurse will use a special clear lotion to help the tube slide into your bladder.
• Once the catheter is in, pee will flow out of your bladder and drain.

Things that can help when getting a Urinary Catheter

• Bring a blanket or a soft toy.
• Bring a book to look at or read, an IPAD to watch a movie or play a game.
• Take slow, deep breaths and blow on a pinwheel, or blow bubbles gently.
• Count, sing a song or tell a story.

What is a VCUG 

• A VCUG is a test to see how your bladder holds and empties liquid. For this test your bladder will be filled with a liquid called contrast. Your doctor will be able to see how your bladder is filling and emptying during this test by using x-ray.

Why is it important to have a VCUG?

• The doctors need to complete this test to see if your urine is traveling into your kidneys; this is called reflux.

Steps to complete your VCUG

• Before your VCUG begins, you will dress into a hospital gown.
• Once in your hospital gown, you will lay on the x-ray table for an x-ray of your abdomen.
• Next a nurse will place a small plastic tube called a catheter into your urethra; this is where your pee comes out.
• Now that your catheter is in place the doctor will come in the room and start to fill your bladder with contrast.
• Once your bladder is full, you will turn to the sides to take pictures and then you will void (pee) on the table. (A towel or bed pan will be placed under you to catch the pee.)

What you can do to help during your VCUG?

• During your catheter placement it is helpful for the nurses if you can take big breathes to relax your abdomen muscles
• The nurse may ask you to place your legs in a position such as "butterfly feel" or "mountain legs"
• Your job during this test will be to tell the doctor when your bladder feels full and you need to pee.

Things you can to do during your VCUG

• Take deep breaths or blow bubbles
• Look at a book, iPad, or movie
• Bring a favorite stuffed animal or toy from home
• You may be able to have a caregiver present during your VCUG; a staff member will visit with your caregiver at your appointment