4 Year Old Getting an MRI with Anesthesia in Portland , Or

Emanuel is a dedicated children's hospital where st. vincents is not. If something was to go wrong you would want her at a children's hospital :) best of luck, i would go with Emanuel.

My daughter has a condition that occasionaly requires IV's. We were in the emergency room at St. Vincent about 6 weeks ago. I was not impressed. We also ended up at Doernbecher a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed. I would choose a children's hospital over a regular hospital any day. Good luck!

S.

I am a fan of both Emmanuel and St. V's. If it is a young child issue go to Emmanuel. They are great and only another 10 minutes from St. V's.

I have had 2 life saving surgeries and will have a hernia repair next month at St. Vincents and consider them an excellent hospital, however in your case I would go with Emmanuel due to their expertise with children. Having a pediatric anethesiologist is a very good idea since children are much more delicate and can be tricky to get the medications right if you are not properly trained. My daughter has had 2 examinations under anesthetic (at 4m old and 14m old) and they were both done at OHSU with a pediatric opthomologist and pediatric anethesiologist.

Emmanuel is a great children's hospital. My 4 year old daughter spent a week there when she had Kawasaki disease. She didn't have an MRI, but all the experiences we had with procedures and staff were very good. Anytime they did anything invasive or scary, like setting IV's, there was someone friendly there to distract her and give her a prize at the end. I was told that Emmanuel has a much more extensive Children's hospital than St. Vincent's, but we have gone there as well and had nothing but good experiences at both hospitals.

My advise comes not from experience, but from what I learned in EMT training. I would choose Emmanuel Hospital because they are a Level 1 Trauma Center. This means that they are prepared (staff & equipment) for anything. The only other hospital in Oregon with that level is OHSU. If it were my child I would use Emmanuel hands down. Good luck with your decision and I hope your daughter is ok.

we have not done an mri but we did have my daughter 3 at the time tonsils removed we discussed the with our pediatritian and with the specialist that did the surgery and he said it was our call on the hospital but both doctors recommendation was to go with the hospital that provided a pediatric anesthesia person. the reason the specialist gave us was that they actually have a little more training in dealing with the smaller anatomy. we always go to providence hospitals and we had to go to ohsu for the procedure to have a peds anesthesialogist. i hate driving there and had to get my husband to come with me but the way i look at it is that my kid is my life and i will always do whats best for them regardless of my likes or time. (not saying you wouldnt just my personal feelings)

My son had surgery at Emanual when he was 2 years old. I felt complete confidence with the anesthesiologists. The MRI is not what needs as much specialized staffing as does the anesthesia. The kids floor was wonderful, supportive and respectful. I also had a son in the NICU at Emanual... very professional and knowledgable folks up there.

I am sorry I don't have any advice; I am just writing you a note to wish you and your family well. This must be a scary ordeal you all are going through, your daughter is not getting an MRI for fun. I hope that it turns out to be nothing serious. As a mother, it is my worst fear to have my child have to experience anything painful or scary. You will be in my thoughts and prayers, and stay strong!

I don't have any experience with ped mri's. But do with emanuel and live in Beaverton. My son was four and had to have a lot of dental work done, so we opted to get it all done at once. Emanuel was completely set up for kids, they had a big playroom for the waiting, and they were very good with my son. It isn't a long drive if you take the highway and not go during rush hours.

We had a couple procedures at emanuel and they were great--only one nurse who had to draw blood on my 11-month old was a disaster, but everyone else was really good. I'd go there.

I feel for you and your daughter medical procedures can be very scary. I would say if you want to go to the best hospital not the closest or one that you are familiar with. You want the BEST the one capable of dealing with your specific issue.This case it's a child being put under anesthsia so I would go where they deal with it everyday all day. If Emanuel has a pediatric anesthesiologist on staff I would say that would be the best bet then and if your pediatrician recommended it then I wouldn't consider St. Vincents at all. OHSU Dornbecher is great but, not all insurances cover it. I wish you luck.

I would choose Emmanual over St Vin. as Emmanual has a Children's Hospital and therefore all the pediatric specialists needed. We hv been w/ our children to Emmanuel a couple of times & the experience was always outstanding. Once inpatient with a one week old & they saved her life. So in my opinion when kids are involved go to a hospital with pediatric specialists
There is also Dormbecker @ OHSU if you want to stay on the west side

Hi there!
Unfortunately I don't have advice for you about the hospitals in Portland, as I live near Tacoma, WA. However, I do have experience with my 4 year old daughter having an MRI with sedation a few months ago. We took her to a Children's Hospital in Tacoma. Our experience may not be the same, but maybe it will help you.

First of all I will say I was not at all worried about the MRI or the sedation. I was at peace about the whole thing and just prayed for my little girl and for a positive outcome. I think we may have even surprised the nurses and doctors with our relaxed behavior. I believe most people who work in this kind of environment with children are prepared for (and expecting) parents and kids who are nervous and afraid. The nurses who worked with our daughter were extremely attentive, nurturing and sensitive to what we may be feeling in a rather scary situation. I can only say good things about the pediatric staff who worked with us. I was surprised to see how many nurses and staff were present... doing different tasks... one person was going over paperwork with us, asking us questions and giving us an opportunity to ask any questions we needed to, and talk about any concerns. Another was preparing my daughter's arm for the IV (she put numbing cream on 2 different spots before doing that.) And then another lady was specifically assigned to be my daughter's friend and playmate. She was so sweet, soothing and attentive to my little girl. She brought her a homemade doll made out of cloth that she could color on and pretend to be a doctor with the doll. She talked so sweetly with her and really put her at ease while all the other activity was going on around her. My daughter even got to keep the doll and a "hospital gown" to go on it. (I know that probably doesn't happen at all hospitals, but I thought it was a really nice touch. I guess there is a group of ladies who make those things for the Children's Hospital patients here.)

My experience for the MRI itself was also good. They allowed me to go in the room with my daughter. (I just had to take off all metal and jewelry). I would say the most difficult part for me was watching my daughter go "under" with the sedation. It was just very strange to see. They had her count and of course she only got through a couple numbers before it took affect. The strange part for me was seeing that her body did some twitching as she was first under sedation. The doctor totally prepared me for this. She even tried mumbling a little bit (like talking in her sleep). That only lasted for about 30 seconds and then she layed still. Then (surprisingly) the MRI Tech gave me the option to stay with her during the MRI procedure. I had no idea that was possible. I had not prepared myself for that and knew my husband was waiting just outside for me. We wanted to be together during the MRI, so I opted to leave the room and be with my husband.

The wait time for us seemed to go fairly quickly. I think it may have been about 40 minutes. When the MRI was all done, they wheeled her back out. Her eyes were already open, but she was very groggy. Eventually she became more alert and drank some juice. She was not hungry right away (even though she had to fast before the procedure) but I brought some snacks for her to eat on the way home. She seemed to do just fine and had no ill effects from the sedation.

Overall it was a good experience for us and thankfully, her MRI results came back normal, so that was the best news! I hope my experience is an encouragement to you and that you will be at peace about your daughter's MRI. Ultimately my advice is to give it to God in prayer! And I will pray as well! God Bless you and your family.

My daughter had an MRI with anesthesia (in Seattle) when she was only 8 months old. This was followed by an outpatient surgery at 9 months old. She had to be completely "under" for both procedures, and both went perfectly. I was able to stay with my daughter for the MRI until she was "asleep" but not for the surgery, so I understand your concern about leaving her, but trust that the medical staff know what they're doing and will take good care of her. I definately recommend going to a childrens' hospital whenever possible, though. Good luck!

My son (almost 2) just had one MRI done at Kaiser Sunnyside and another 1 month later at OHSU.
There was a big difference between the way the two hospitals handled the procedures. Kaiser Sunnyside had both adult and pediatric patients at the same place, there was a long wait, long past scheduled time (meaning the child was hungry for a very long time since anesthesia has to be done on an empty stomach), the process for pediatric patients was slightly but not much different from that for adults (just a more child friendly bed and a nurse who is used to working with children.) The main concern for us was the fact that parents could not be present during anesthesia, which made it very stressful for all of us. It was very difficult to have our son taken from us by a stranger; of course, he cried and called after us and there was nothing we could do.
OHSU was very different. They have a special pediatric anesthesia department where they handle only pediatric patients. There were only a few patients at a time, meaning the wait time was not long, everything was running smoothly and on schedule. We were present with our son up until the point he went into the MRI machine. The anesthesia area was very child friendly. Our son was allowed to stay in his stroller, where he was most comfortable, we brought his videos and toys, so he was entertained and felt comfortable. The IV needle was inserted very quickly, he barely had time to complain. We carried our son to the MRI floor and were holding him while the doctor administered the anesthesia drugs. The drugs were given once the MRI machine was ready for our son, so that he was under anesthesia for the shortest amount of time necessary for the procedure. Once the MRI was completed, we could join our son again, he woke up a few minutes after that. We gave him something to drink and eat and after short observation he was allowed to go home.
So, I would greatly recommend you talk to both hospitals about their process for pediatric MRI. Also, find out if possible which of them has a better MRI scanner (we had to repeat the MRI scan since OHSU has a much better machine that could take some special images unavailable on other models). And bring whatever things make your daughter comfortable--stroller (if she uses one), DVDs, toys, etc (of course, check with the hospital first if they would allow those things). And good luck. We had a challenging time after the MRI at home. Our son did not want to sleep, instead he tried to be active, wanted to walk, even tried to run, and of course, could not keep his balance, could barely sit straight. He had to be watched every second to prevent falls and bumps, somebody had to be there next to him all day long. He was back to normal the next day.
Good luck.

Hi E. -

My daughter had a condition which required x-rays taken when she was 3 1/2 and 5 years old. The first time we took her for the x-rays, our doctor sent us to a body imaging clinic. It was a horrible experience and the staff there was really very unsympathetic to my young child's fears and anxiety over the invasive proceedure they were doing. The next year they recommended we try Emmanuel since they are so specialized in children's needs. They were right! Emmanuel was like night and day compared to the other place. The nurses were very understanding and gave good advice on how to help my child understand what we needed her to do and the doctor was very gentle and patient. Also, they offered a seditive for my daughter, whereas the other imaging clinic did not. I live on the West side too, but driving to Emmanuel for my child's sake was totally worth it and I would do it over and over again if I had to just to be in the care of the staff at Emmanuel. I have not used St. Vincent's for this sort of thing, but I hear they are pretty good with children too. I can only tell you how much I appreciated the staff at Emmanuel.

Blessings,
J. (mom of 5)

First of all, take a deap breathe and try to relax. I too have had to go throwgh extensive testing on one of my children, and another having surgery at 18months old. I know how frightnend you must feel.
I dont know much about the 2 hospitals you listed, but I know OHSU is a wonderful place. I would let them know you would prefer a pediatric hosptial. And if that isnt possible make sure you havea pediatric dr involved.
Anyway most children are monitored very carefully when they knock them out. When my at the time 18 month old had surgery, she was watched over like a hawk and she woke very quickly after the procedure was done. She was more angry and scared more than anything, but that is just her pesronality.
Express your concerns with her dr. I do understand why they need to do this for the MRI. The test itself wont harm her.
I wish your little one the best, and you the strength to get through it!!

My daughter had to get an MRI with anesthesia a few months ago. She is only 2 years old and it scared me more than I've ever been scared in my life. We live in Seattle, so were at Seattle Children's Hospital so I can't speak specifically to Portland hospitals except to say that our pediatrician sent us to the children's hospital (a LONG traffic-filled drive away) instead of the hospital 10 minutes from our house and I'm SO SO glad we were at the place specializing in children. Aside from the obvious security provided by professionals who always work with kids, the hospital and staff were completely tailored to working with kids. They knew how to talk to my daughter, how to distract her, how to reward her...they helped to make a horribly frightening situation somewhat comprehensible for her - I'm not sure we would have had such universally kid-friendly care at a "normal" hospital. So I highly recommend the children's hospital.

Also: I know what you're saying about not being allowed to stay with your daughter. But they will allow you to be with her while she's put under, right? It was the worst moment of my life so far to lay her on that table after she went under and leave the room. But it all went perfectly, no complications whatsoever and I was glad to be with her when she first went to sleep.

I will keep you and your family in my prayers. I know vividly how stressful and emotionally wracking a time like this is and I will pray for peace and (most of all) your daughter's health. God Bless!

Hello, We live way out in the country and have been to Emmanuel several times. My first son started having febrile seizures on his 1st birthday and continued on sometimes having several a day. We had an MRI with anesthesia and several other tests once a year for 4 years. My son is now a Very heathly 7 1/2 year old and only has good memories of the hospital. The doctors and staff are so great with the children, and us worried parents. When we did the MRI they let us put the gown on him and they gave him a shot to relax him. Then we had to leave. When he was in recovery they let us come in until they were sure he was ok to get dressed and go.
He was only 2 yrs old at the time.
Good luck, god's blessing with which ever hospital you choose.

My daughter when through this experience at Emmanuel at age 2! It was difficult and we were anxious because we too had to try it without anesthesia first! What a nightmare! I thought my husband was going to lose it! Our experience at Emmauel was completely different. It was a rough 30 minutes in the waiting room but all went well! They really know what they are doing and she was happy because the doctors brought her a beanie baby! I don't handle anesthesia well....which is why I was nervous. And by the way all the tests came out fine! Expensive...but worth the knowledge that nothing was wrong! Good luck!

A. B

My 15 month old had to get anesthesia for Cat~Scan, They let me take him into cat scan rooom lay him down, give him kissses and then they started to give him gas to sleep for 10 min,I went to a exam room and then They brang him back to me still sleeping, about 5 min later he awoke and was ready to drink. Did not seem to have any bad effects on him.

Second time he had anethesia he was 18 months he had ear tubes put in. He was a lil more groggy and cried alot waking up from anesthesia, I think he was probally having
pain from ear tube surgery!

Best of luck to you and your little guy! Im sure that he will do fine, all the anesthesia does is make them still for a few minutes and is less traumatic on kids. : )

My daughter had MRI's as an infant and then as a toddler. Anesthesia was used to keep her still, and her sleeping made that so easy. Depending on what type of anesthesic they use, your pediatrician probably has a better understanding of the process with each facility. My daughter's tests were done at Children's Hospital in Seattle. I've had many MRI's and things can be scary even for an adult if the scan takes time. I need a sedative as I'm claustrophobic, so providing your daughter this aid is a good thing. I wish your daughter well. Your apprehension could be about they may or may not discover more than the scan process itself. Breathe..... knowledge is power. And once you know what you're facing, you'll be able to fix it. Take good care of your daughter and yourself.

As someone who doesn't live in portland...take this two cents for what it is worth.

There is a huge difference between pediatric doctors and non-peds. Both in technical skills and in "bedside manner". With kids, it can sometimes be a tossup with what is more important...BUT...with surgery/anesthesiology, stick with a ped whenever you can. Children and adults react differently, have different resting heartbeats, breath rates, sizes, the works. Anesthesia is tricky...you really want someone who is used to judging childrens' reactions to it, as well as the whole smaller size thing.

While you can stumble across a gem of a non-ped who is fantastic with kids and their parents...that's what peds DO. They work with kids, and liase with parents. Working on someone's kid is a lot harder than working on that someone, physically & emotionally. Nervous parents, are also something that... well...for most people are just plain hard to handle. In many ways. As are scared kids. Now, if you're going to find a gem, it would probably be an anesthesiologist (out of all the specialities...they tend to be the silliest/nicest docs you'll run across)...bt if you've got the option of a pediatric anesthesiologist, with pediatric sized equipment, pediatric training, practice, and experience...that your pediatrician recommends...it would seem that even several hours worth of travel, would be worth it to have your child in the best capable hands.

Anyhow, like I said...I don't know the area at all...just the general principle.

Best of luck to you both!

Hi there,

I live in Seattle so I don't have personal experience with the hospitals you are looking for. However, we just did an MRI with my 3 yo 2 weeks ago at our Children's Hosp here. The procedure went quite well. Here would be my advice to you.

You will likely meet with at least 10 different people before the actual procedure. I would tell each one of them that you need to stay with your child until your daughter is asleep and that you will not leave her. Depending on the facility, this might be in the MRI room itself or it might be on the bed outside of the MRI room. But you should insist upon it and start doing it with the first person you meet. It seems that this wasn't going to be a problem at our Children's hospital. But I wasn't taing any chances after some of the stories that I had heard and also knowing that my daughter would be unable to handle being separated from me.

Is it possible for you to do this at a children's hospital? If so, they would be much more accustomed to your needing to stay with your child until they were asleep than in a general hospital. Justa thought.

Good luck to you. In reality, it is really not that big of a deal procedure wise. But to a mom, it was an extremely stressful day. I had no idea how stressed out I was until the day was over. I hope yours goes smoothly and is over soon!

My little guy had an MRI at 7 months old. It was done at Kaiser Sunnyside, and everything turned out great. The anesthesiologist was very good at alleviating our fears, and the recovery room staff was wonderful with him. We brought him home a couple hours after he woke up, and he was his old self by that evening.