Many parents report this is the hardest part of the hospital stay. Your child’s bowel will need to be clear of stool for the procedure to keep them safe and to reduce the risk of infection. To make sure the bowel gets clean, the bowel prep will need to be finished the night before their surgery or procedure.
Your child will likely be given the bowel prep medicine through a nasogastric (NG) tube. An NG tube is put in through the nose and goes down into your child’s stomach. The tube is taped to the cheek to make sure it does not fall out. The medicine is then given through the tube over a pump throughout the evening until the medical team determines it safe to stop.
If your child has a Malone or cecostomy tube, they may be able to receive the medicine through that tube.
Rest assured that this bowel prep is absolutely necessary to keep your child safe and assist with a successful surgical procedure. Our inpatient nursing team will take good care of you during your hospital stay!