Preparation

Especially in children the preparation of a gastroscopy is of great relevance and should be performed very carefully. Just like adults, children must appear for a gastroscopy on an empty stomach in order to ensure that the examination is feasible and to obtain good assessment results. In most cases it is sufficient to avoid food and drinks for more than 6 – 8 hours. Especially for smaller children this period can be difficult, so that appointments for gastroscopy are usually made in the morning hours in order to let the fasting period run over night.

Diagnosis

Experience has shown that the majority of children undergoing gastroscopy do not show any pathological changes in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Unfortunately, a concrete physical cause for pain or discomfort is rarely recognizable. For this reason too, the indication for gastroscopy in children should be rather strict and only in justified cases.In individual cases, this decision is advised by a pediatrician or a specialized pediatric gastroenterologist, who can also provide therapy suggestions regarding the child’s original complaints and further diagnostic alternatives for clarification.

Risks

If the preparatory measures have been carried out well and the child is sedated sedatively on the day of the examination, gastroscopy is very low risk even in children. Just as with adults, a gastroscopy for children is only a minor examination that only takes a few minutes. Parents should make sure that they explain the procedure to their child after the consultation with the doctor and talk about the child’s fears.

Parents should not frighten the child additionally, even if they are possibly worried themselves. The risks of a gastroscopy are comparable to those known from gastroscopies in adults. These include an uncomfortable, numb feeling in the throat area as well as hoarseness and coughing after the treatment.

In addition, a feeling of fullness, flatulence or belching may occur. Very rarely, gastroscopy results in more serious side effects such as an injury to the stomach wall up to puncture (perforation), bleeding or inhalation of saliva or other fluids (aspiration). Due to the anaesthesia of the throat, the child should also not eat or drink during the period after the procedure, during which the anaesthesia is still effective, as there is a risk of swallowing.