Colonoscopy with General Anesthesia: Children (44 to 88 Pounds)

A colonoscopy is a procedure used to see the whole colon. Your child's doctor or health care provider will use a small, bendy (flexible) tube called a colonoscope to look for redness, swelling, bleeding, ulcers, or infections.

Before the Procedure

  • Starting 1 week before the test, stop all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like: aspirin, Celebrex®, ibuprofen (Motrin® and Advil®), and naproxen (Aleve®).
  • If your child takes an iron supplement, they cannot take it the day before the procedure.
  • The nurse will call you to ask you questions about your child's health.
  • The nurse will tell you when to stop giving your child food and liquids, when to get to the hospital, and the time of the surgery.
  • Do not let your child have gum, cough drops, or hard candy. If they have been chewing gum, surgery will be delayed 2 hours from the time the gum is spit out. If the gum has been swallowed, surgery will be delayed up to 8 hours from the time it was swallowed. 

Bowel Prep

Your child has to do a bowel prep the day before the procedure. You will take laxatives to clean all the poop (stool) out of their colon. There is no prep for infants under 12 months of age unless ordered by their doctor or health care provider. 

  • Your child will miss school or work on bowel prep day and the day of the procedure.
  • You can get laxatives at any pharmacy without a prescription.
  • Your child will poop more often. Your poop will be looser, watery, and yellow or green. If this does not happen, call the hospital at (614) 722-2000 and ask for the GI doctor on call.

After Finishing the Bowel Prep

  • Your child may drink clear liquids until 12 a.m. (midnight).
  • A nurse will contact you with other pre-operative (pre-op) instructions and arrival time.
  • If you have any questions or concerns about the prep, please call the GI procedure room nurse at (614) 722-3445.

How the Procedure Is Done

  • A parent or legal guardian must be here to give information about the child's health and sign a consent form. If they cannot come, call the GI Department to make other plans.
  • You’ll register your child as instructed. Nurses will talk to you about your child's procedure and any health concerns.
  • Your child will be taken back for their procedure while you wait in the waiting room. In the procedure room, they’ll be given medicine to help them sleep (anesthesia).
  • The colonoscope will be placed in the hole in your child's bottom (rectum). The doctor or health care provider will guide it through the colon.
  • Very small pieces of tissue (biopsies) may be taken to test. 

After the Procedure

  • Your child will be taken to a recovery room to wake up.
  • The doctor or health care provider will talk to you about the procedure and treatment.
  • Your child may have clear liquids. Once they handle liquids well, they can eat food.
  • Your child may need help walking to and getting into the car.  
  • Your child may have some belly cramps after the test. This is like when they have regular gas. They may also be nauseous.
  • The doctor or health care provider will tell you when they can return to your normal activities.

Risks

  • Bleeding – Your child may have some blood in their poop. This is usually a small amount for a short time. This can be dangerous if they have a bleeding disorder.
  • Perforation – This is a hole in the colon. It is very rare. Surgery may be needed to fix it.
  • Infections – If your child has a problem with their heart or immune system, they're more at risk for infections. Infections can be treated with antibiotics.

When to Call the Doctor

Call your child's doctor or health care provider if they have:

  • Bleeding from their rectum 1 or 2 days after the procedure.
  • Quick, sharp belly pain.
  • A fever over 101° Fahrenheit (F) or 38.3° Celsius (C).
  • Throwing up (vomiting).

Follow-up

We will call you if your child's care plan needs to be changed. If you have any questions or concerns, call their doctor or health care provider.

 

Colonoscopy with General Anesthesia: Children (44 to 88 Pounds) (PDF), Somali (PDF), Spanish (PDF)

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