Sedation for Tests and Procedures

Your child is scheduled to have a special test or procedure. In order to get the best results, we may need to give your child some medicine. This will help your child lie quietly or fall asleep.

Your child’s doctor (or doctor in the procedure area) will prescribe the type and amount of medication. Usually the medication is a liquid your child can swallow.

Please tell us if your child has had a problem taking a sedative. The doctor may be able to prescribe a different medication.

Preparing for the sedative

Your child must not eat or drink before the test. If your child has anything to eat or drink, the test may be delayed or rescheduled. For your child’s safety, please follow these instructions:

For babies younger than 6 months

• Stop giving your baby milk, formula, and solid foods 4 hours before the test.
• Your baby may have clear liquids or breast milk until 2 hours before the test. Clear liquids are liquids you can see through. These include Pedialyte, Jell-o, apple juice, and Gatorade.
• Stop all liquids 2 hours before the test. This includes breast milk.
• It’s a good idea to bring clear liquids with you to give your baby after the test.

For children 6 months to 3 years old

• Do not give your child solid food or milk 6 hours before the test.
• Your child may have clear liquids or breast milk until 2 hours before the test. Gatorade, Jell-o, and Sprite are clear liquids.
• Please do not give your child drinks containing caffeine.
• Stop all liquids 2 hours before the test.

For children over 3 years old

• Do not give your child solid food or milk 8 hours before the test.
• Your child may have clear liquids until 2 hours before the test. Gatorade, Jell-O, and Sprite are clear liquids.
• Please do not give your child drinks containing caffeine.
• Stop all liquids 2 hours before the test.

Reactions to the medication

No one can predict how your child will respond to the sedative. Some children fall asleep quickly while others do not fall asleep at all. Some children act silly or become very active. Others become fussy and irritable. Any changes in your child’s behavior are a temporary effect of the medication.

If the medicine does not help your child lie quietly, we may need to reschedule the test or procedure. We will discuss with you and your doctor what options are available for the next appointment.

How we will monitor your child

Anytime we give a child medication, we monitor for any possible side effects. After we give the sedative, we will monitor your child’s vital signs. This includes heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation (pulse ox or biox). These signs tell us if your child is having a reaction to the sedative. Severe reactions to the sedatives we give children are very rare.

After the test, we will monitor your child until he or she is awake enough to go home. This may be as long as 1-3 hours after the test is completed.

Caring for your child after the test

Most children are tired, sleepy and lack their usual coordination for 4-6 hours after the test. To prevent accidents, do not leave your child unattended.

For a younger child, you may want to bring a stroller to use after the test. Walk with your child, holding hands, even if your child seems to walk without trouble. It is also important to help your child in the bathroom.

Your child may wake up feeling hungry., You may give clear liquids after your child is wide awake. If your child does not throw up during the next 30 minutes, he or she may eat a regular diet.

The sedative and test will disrupt your child’s routine. You may notice a change in behavior for the rest of the day. Some children sleep for hours while others need to stay up late because of the time they slept during the test. Try to be patient. Things will be back to normal the next day.

When to get help

Go to the nearest emergency room if:

• Your child has difficulty breathing
• Your child looks very pale or has blue lips

Call your child’s doctor if:

• Your child throws up more than once
• Your child seems confused or dizzy the next day
• Your child is harder to wake up than usual
• You have concerns about your child’s response to the medicine and are not sure what to do.