Barium enema

LizJones

Anyone familiar with barium enemas?  My 3yo is having some constipation issues, so the doctor prescribed a barium enema xray and I'm a little nervous about it. 

KathrynMD

I had one when I was 8 or so.  I wouldn't rank it up there with a highlight of my life or anything, but it wasn't painful, just weird/awkward. 

lona.hunn@gmail.com

Yes, he'll lay on his side at the beginning and the Radiologist will put a little tube in his bottom and that's how the barium will run into his colon. They'll watch the barium going in on a tv screen and might have him roll around a bit. Once the Radiologist is satisfied, they'll probably step out and the technitian will take a few standard xrays of his tummy. After that they'll let him go to the bathroom and get rid of all of it..

WifeofaMarine

We deal with severe constipation issues and DS had one last fall. DS was ok until they started to let the barium flow and then he screamed bloody murder. He screamed the whole time, and we had to hold him down. Now, on the positive side, the test didn't last that long. It only lasted about 10 minutes, with them taking pictures and letting him empty is bowels (in his diaper because he isn't PT) for another 10 minutes. While he was miserable during the test, he was his normal happy self afterwards. Though, I will tell you that for the week after the barium enema study, he had loose stools. I thought it was the fiber gummies we had added working, but the next week, it was back to the severe constipation again.

We were allowed to bring things to keep him entertained, so we brought our portable DVD player with his favorite movie, his stuffed animal and his blanket.

Good luck.