My friend's 3 year-old son was just diagnosed with non-ossifying fibromas, which are growths on the bone that do not calcify, but can weaken the integrity of the bones, making them easier to break. He has them on both femurs. The doctors want to do an MRI to get a closer look at what is going on. She was told that he would need to be under general anesthesia because he won't be able to stay perfectly still for a half-hour while they do the MRI. However, they are not giving the option of being put under with a mask, and are insisting he needs to be anesthetized by IV. Does anyone out there have experience with this - either with the need to do an IV anesthesia in particular, or information about NOF?
My baby had to have major dental work last summer at 3.5. They gave her something to drink and she had a iv. I sat in the waiting room bawling the whole 20 mins it took! I was terrified. And you know it was the best route to go. It was very fast and she cried when they woke her up but no pain or fears. She slept about 3 hrs when we got home but was normal as ever. Trust me, they know what they are doing. He will be just fine!
I work for Anesthesiologists but I am not in the medical field, I am an accountant. Still I work in the same office that our billing and our dental docs go through. Dental works with a lot of kids. The nurses go down a list of things you do and do not do before anesthesia. Listen to them, no matter how miserable your child makes you, listen!, and unless it is that one in a billion thing he will be fine.
We have always had the iv - the anesthesia is actually called "milk of amnesia." Yes, amnesia (not magnesia!) I guess it's easily metabolized, and they wake up like nothing happened. It has worked very well for our ds, and we've been told to ask for it every time. What a great friend you are for helping her through this!
My granddaughter, 8.5, is Austisic and her doctor wanted an MRI of her brain. They put her under and she was and has been fine since.
The medications they use now are so much better then years ago.
My son needed some dental work done, and they kept him under with an IV. But they put him under with gas so the IV could be put in when he was already asleep. That might be an option for your friend. Other than that, have her follow the directions carefully and be ready with cuddles, movies, and favorite foods after he wakes up.
They are slower to wake from the gas anesthesia and the waking is much more difficult- your child will be transformed into some sort of monster.
Go with the IV, listen to the doctors, you'll be glad you did!
Our son, who was 3 1/2 at the time, had to get an MRI for consistent migraines. They tried to have me get him to sleep for it, but the MRI noise was so loud, he woke right up. They ended up giving him an IV and putting him under. It was scary at the time, but also necessary.
I've also had it happen with my other son who needed a CT Scan. They had to put him under as well, also with an IV. These things happened at different places, so it seems to me that they do it very often.
Good luck!
My boys both needed surgery when they were little (younger than 3). I wouldn't worry too much about the anesthesia. If feels very scary but you have to realize that the people who prepare the IV are professionals who do this every single day.
