Alberta Children’s Hospital health information
Preparation For Your Child’s Bowel for Colonoscopy
Your Child is booked for a Colonoscopy on (Date)
Goal: To empty your child’s bowel to get clear pictures of the lining of his/her bowel. It is very important that you follow these instructions. If the bowel is not clean enough the procedure may need to be stopped and rescheduled with an altered bowel preparation. Inadequate bowel preparation may result in prolonged time under anaesthesia and an increased risk of complications. How to “clean out” your child’s bowels: 1. Buy Pico-Salax® at your local pharmacy. These medications do not require a prescription. They may be kept behind the pharmacy counter. 2. Encourage increased fluid intake for 1 week prior to the procedure. Good hydration is important to help the medications work. 3. Your child can have CLEAR FLUIDS ONLY on ________________________(date). Please see opposite side for examples of and guidelines for clear fluids.
Continue reading for the chart.
Follow the instructions in the chart for your child’s age or weight as discussed with the GI Procedure Lab Nurse or Gastroenterologist.
Age OR Weight ______ (age) ______ (Kg) 1 to 5 years
1 day before colonoscopy __________________(date) Clear fluids only at least 8oz (250 mL) every hour while awake Pico-Salax® Noon - Drink 40 mls (8 tsp) of the PicoSalax solution 6 pm - Drink 40 mls (8tsp) of the PicoSalax solution
Less than 25kg
Clear fluids only
(or 6-12 years)
at least 8-10 oz (250-300 mL) every hour while awake Pico-Salax®: Noon - Drink 75 mls (2 ½ oz) of the Pico-Salax solution 6 pm - Drink 75 mls (2 ½ oz) of the PicoSalax solution
More than 25kg
Clear fluids only
(or 13 years and
at least 10 oz (300 mL) every hour
older)
while awake Pico-Salax® Noon - Drink 150 mls (5 oz) of the PicoSalax solution 6 pm - Drink 150 mls (5 oz) of the Pico-Salax solution
Pico-Salax® Mixing and Measuring Instructions • •
• •
Each box of Pico-Salax® contains 2 sachets. At noon, mix 1 sachet with 5 oz (150mL) of cold water. Stir frequently for 2-3 minutes. The solution may become hot. Please wait for it to cool before your child drinks it. Measure out the dose indicated on the chart for your child’s age/weight and throw away the unused solution. At 6 pm mix the 2nd sachet and measure the correct dose in the same way. Both dosages must be taken to ensure proper bowel preparation or the test may have to be cancelled.
What to Expect Your child will get diarrhoea starting within three hours of the first dose of Pico-Salax®. Some intestinal cramping is normal. It is best to stay within easy access of a toilet after starting the bowel preparation. Bowel movements are expected to be clear or yellow liquid prior to procedure. In order to replace fluid lost from the body, it is important to drink plenty of fluids. Clear Fluids (fluids you can see through) Your child can NOT have any solid food, milk or milk products, and/or juices with pulp on the day before their colonoscopy. Some examples of clear fluids are: • •
• •
Water Juices (no fruit pulp), Sports Drinks and Pop apple juice, white grape juice, white cranberry juice, lemonade, iced tea, Kool-Aid®, Pedialyte®, Powerade®, Gatorade®, Sprite®, 7-Up®, Ginger-Ale® Soup broth – Clear vegetable, beef, chicken broth (no solids), bouillon Desserts - Jell-O, popsicles
***No red or purple coloured fluids please. ***Only water, ginger-ale and apple juice after midnight. No gum or hard candy. Questions or Concerns? Call GI Lab nurses at (403) 955-7286 with any questions or concerns about this procedure or bowel preparation If your child does not tolerate the clean out prep (throws up or refuses the medications) call the GI Lab nurses at (403) 955-7286 (Monday to Friday 8 am – 3 pm) or call the Alberta Children’s Hospital switchboard at (403) 9557211 and ask to speak to the paediatric GI Doctor on call Call Day Surgery at (403) 955-7856 the day before the procedure between 1-3 pm to discuss: •
The time of the procedure ________________ (time)
•
The time to arrive at Day Surgery ________________ (time)
•
Last drink ________________ (time)
Clear fluid tracking sheet Patient Name: _______________________________
TIME Midnight – 6:00am 6:00am – 7:00am 7:00am – 8:00am 8:00am – 9:00am 9:00am – 10:00am 10:00am – 11:00am 11:00am – 12:00pm 12:00pm – 1:00pm 1:00pm – 2:00pm 2:00pm – 3:00pm 3:00pm – 4:00pm 4:00pm – 5:00pm 5:00pm – 6:00pm 6:00pm – 7:00pm 7:00pm – 8:00pm 8:00pm – 9:00pm 9:00pm – Midnight
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