Health Topics

Your child will lie on a table in an X-ray room in the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department. The doctor and nurse will wear gowns, gloves and plastic glasses.

A small tube with several holes in it will be passed into your child's nose and down through the esophagus. Your child may be given medication to help him/her relax before the test is started. Time will be allowed for your child to adjust to this tube before formal testing begins.

This tube is connected to a water chamber and a machine with a graph. Your child will be asked to swallow and will be offered sips of water and possibly small pieces of solid foods during the procedure. As swallowing occurs, the changing pressure in the tube makes tracings on the computer and records these tracings on paper. This gives the doctor a record of how well the esophagus and the sphincters are working.

During the test, parents may be with their child or wait in the X-ray waiting area. The test will take about an hour.

Your child may gag when the tube is first passed into the esophagus. A nurse will be with your child to help with comfort measures.

Your child will be asked to lie as still as possible during the test.

The position of the tube will be changed throughout the test. Your child may be asked to swallow sips of water and small pieces of soft solid food at certain times during the test.
This test does not cause pain, although it may be uncomfortable for your child.

• Your child may return to a normal diet, play and usual activities. If sedation has been used, your child may return to usual activities when the effects of the medicine wear off.
• Your doctor will discuss the results of the test with you.