Sleep MRI

Here we are heading into the MRI. We had been practicing by wearing head phones and listening to the MRI Sounds really loud. Holly skipped her nap on this day so she was super tired. We came in her Pajama's ready with her Blanket and Paci. I brought a blanket from home that she likes as well. After exploring around we went into the MRI room which they made up sort of like a bead, with a table that I could also lay down on. We laid on it together, had Holly all tucked in with her headphones on and gave her a Chocolate milk bottle. Then we turned the lights off as much as we could and let her fall asleep. I was a little anxious and kept getting up before she was in a very deep sleep, so they told me to chill and just let her take as long as she needed. Once in a deep sleep her head needed to be lifted up slightly into the holder. Then I had to leave the room and the table she was on went into the machine. I was not allowed in but one of the administrator's was. She watched for any movement. there was an emergency stopped if she work up where the table could be pulled out within about 30 seconds. She did the emergency stop thinking Holly was waking up about 10 minutes in, but she had simply dropped her blanket and though still asleep her hands were a little frantic looking for it. So they didn't pull her out all the way. Luckily the first of three MRI Scans had been done and they were only a few minutes into the second. So they simply started the second over and then completed the third.

We got to watch on the computer screen during the scans and they showed us different parts of her beautiful little brain afterwards. And of course we were able to learn a little about the research they were doing. We later got a video cd with the MRIs on them. Unfortunately there wasn't a functional MRI since she was sleeping, so it was not the kind where you could see certain parts lighting up but instead a picture of her brain. They were going to use it to compare with kids who have Autism, and who have both Autism and Fragile X. using the three samples they were able to see where there are comparisons and differences. this is like a very very over simplification of it all, but the jest of it. Holly was the first Fragile X Girl to participate in the Sleep MRI Study, and the Youngest of all Kids in the study. They were really super excited to get all three scans completed, she was a star for the day. Later we picked her up and brought her to the car to head back to our room and sleep for the night. The next day we had more testing, but mostly eye tracking and stuff for Mommy to do. It was overall a very productive visit.