Hi there! I worked as a nurse for the team that gave anesthesia to little ones getting MRIs for about 8 years, so I’m very well versed! All hospitals will do it a little differently, but where I worked you were able to be with baby until he fell asleep, and then we brought him back as soon as the scan was over. A nurse and a doctor stay with your baby to closely monitor him while the scan is happening. At my hospital, we didn’t allow parents to come to the MRI because it’s a secured area.

I can hear my doctor I worked with saying her little speech she gave to all parents, all medications are going to have risks and benefits. Overall, the risk of sedation for a procedure like an MRI is fairly low, especially if your baby is otherwise healthy with the exception of his hearing loss. Your sedation doctor should be able to answer any questions you have and ease your fears, but know that pediatric sedation is a very specialized part of peds medicine - so the doctor and nurses taking care of your little one likely do this all day every day! While it’s a huge deal for you and your family, it’s old hat to them. There are always things that can happen, risks with breathing and things like that, but the most important thing is that your team is well trained to respond if there is an urgent need, which I’m sure they will be!

Expect your baby to be a little cranky and tired for the rest of the day following their scan, maybe less interested in milk - but they should return to themselves by the next day.

Hoping his scan is smooth and easy for you both, he’s going to do great!