Miralax® Preparation for Children Having a Colonoscopy and/or Endoscopy (Under 10)

Your child is scheduled for a colonoscopy/endoscopy in the Pediatric Endoscopy Suite at Massachusetts General Hospital 55 Fruit St Boston, MA 02114. The date of the procedure is: _____________________

Please note: All patients must have a PCR COVID-19 test 3 days before their procedure.

Please come to the GRAY Building, 4th Floor at: (1 hour before the procedure) ____________________

The procedure begins at: ________________________

Please note that arrival time can change due to cancellations or emergencies. If time is changed, you will be notified the day prior to the procedure.

Once you’ve arrived in the Fruit Street Garage, please call Pediatric Endoscopy at 857-238-7344 and let them know you’ve arrived. They will let you know if they’re running on schedule and when you should go up to Pediatric Endoscopy on the 4th floor of the Gray building. Thank you.

What you need to do before you start to prepare for the procedure

1. Call 866-211-6588 to update your registration (if not done within 6 months)
2. Be sure you have an insurance referral, if required by your insurance company. Please contact your insurance to be sure Mass General is in-network with your policy and if you require authorization for your procedure.

Buy at your local drugstore

• Possibly one child fleet enema (your pharmacist may need to order this)
• Ex-Lax®
• Miralax®
• Clear liquid drinks from the list below

Two (2) days before the procedure

• Give your child 1 Ex-Lax® square after dinner.

One (1) day before the procedure

• Give your child less for breakfast than you normally would.
• After breakfast, give your child only clear liquids for the rest of the day (see list below).
• Give your child 1 capful of Miralax® at 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (9 capfuls in total).
• After your child takes the Miralax®, please give 8-24 ounces of clear liquids over the next several hours.

Day of the procedure

• On the day of the procedure, your child may ONLY have clear liquids. Give your child these fluids.
• After this time, do not give your child anything to eat or drink.
• If your child still has consistently loose stool the day of the procedure, give a child’s fleet enema before coming to the hospital.

Clear liquids

Your child can have any of the items listed below. However, please do not give your child any liquid that has red food coloring.

• Water
• Popsicles® (no red)
• Apple juice
• White grape juice
• Electrolyte replacement drinks like Pedialyte® or generic electrolyte brand (no red)

If your child has trouble with this preparation, or if you have any questions, please call 617-643-5252.

After 5:00 p.m., call 617-726-8705, and have the Pediatric Gastroenterologist FELLOW paged. If you have questions regarding medication, please call the nurses at 857-238-7351.

Please do not bring additional children with you to the Endoscopy Unit for this scheduled procedure. The area has limited space and we strive to maintain privacy for all our patients and their families. We welcome your assistance in your child’s care prior to and after the procedure which may require your complete attention. Children under age 13 cannot be left unattended in the waiting room.

Rev. 4/2022. MassGeneral for Children and Massachusetts General Hospital do not endorse any of the brands listed on this handout. This handout is intended to provide health information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treat any medical conditions.