Close Alert Banner
Skip to Content

Hospital

ResearchFoundation

Text Resize

Regular Large X-Large

Colour Contrast

Default High

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, please contact accessibility@cheo.on.ca

View Our Accessibility Plan

CareersContact UsWebsite FeedbackMyChart
FR
Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario Logo
Contact Us
  • Visiting CHEO
    • Accessibility
    • Amenities
    • Cold and flu season
    • COVID-19
    • Emergency care
    • Family and caregiver supports
    • Family-Centred Rounds
    • Find your doctor
    • Health Records
    • Maps and locations
    • Parking
    • Pay your bill
    • Pharmacy (Kidcare)
    • Preparing for your stay or visit
    • Visiting hours and policies
    View our Physician directory page
    Find Your Doctor Directory
  • Clinics, Services & Programs
    • Directory
    • Emergency care
    • IR/Cath and Sim Labs
    • Make a referral
    • Mental health
    • School
    • Surgical care
    • Technology Enabling Child Health Innovations (TECHi)
    • Virtual care
  • Resources and Support
    • A-Z resources
    • Community supports
    • Families First newsletter
    • Family and caregiver supports
    • Indigeneity - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Social justice
    • Patient Experience
    • Reads2CHEO
    • Transition to adult care
  • Get Involved
    • Co-op program
    • Donate
    • Family Advisory Council
    • Feedback
    • Share your voice
    • Volunteer
    • YouthNet
  • About Us
    • 1Door4Care
    • About CHEO
    • Advocacy
    • Awards, Accreditations and Designations
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Contact us
    • Disclaimer
    • Find your doctor
    • For community physicians
    • For learners, students and residents
    • For pharmacists
    • Indigeneity - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Social justice
    • Innovation
    • Kids Come First
    • Leadership
    • Newsroom
    • Partners
    • Privacy and confidentiality
    • Reporting and statistics
    • Research and innovation
    • Social media terms of use
    • Strategy Renewal
HomeResources and SupportA-Z resourcesPreparing for an ultrasound (Urology and Nephrolo...

Preparing for an ultrasound (Urology and Nephrology)

Ultrasound machine

Regular Large X-Large
 
  • Open new window to share this page via Facebook Facebook
  • Open new window to share this page via LinkedIn LinkedIn
  • Open new window to share this page via Twitter Twitter
  • Email this page Email
Resources and Support
    • A-Z resources
      Toggle Section A-Z resources Menu
      • ACL injuries
      • Adenoidectomy
      • ADHD
      • Allergies
      • Anger
      • Anxiety and stress management
      • Asthma
      • Autism
      • Back to school
      • Bipolar disorder
      • Borderline personality disorder
      • Breastfeeding
      • Broken bones and torn ligaments
      • Bronchiolitis
      • Broviac central line
      • Bullying
      • Burns
      • Cancer
      • Cast care
      • Cerebral Palsy
      • Child and youth abuse
      • Complimentary and alternative medicine
      • Concussion
      • Connective Tissue Diseases
      • Constipation
      • Continuous nerve blocks at home
      • Cough and cold
      • COVID-19
      • Croup
      • Crutches
      • Crying
      • Cystic fibrosis
      • Depression
      • Developmental displasia
      • Diabetes
      • Diarrhea and vomiting
      • Down syndrome
      • Ear tubes
      • Eating disorders
      • Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
      • Emergency care
      • ENFit – Transitioning to safer enteral connections
      • Epilepsy
      • FASD
      • Feeding
      • Fever
      • Financial tips
      • Functional endoscopic sinus surgery
      • Gastrostomy tubes
      • Grief and bereavement
      • Gut health
      • Halo vests
      • Head injuries
      • Healthy active living
      • Heart murmurs
      • Hip spica casts
      • Hospitalization and surgery
      • Indigenous peoples
      • Infectious Diseases
      • Intoeing
      • IV care
      • Learning disabilities and dyslexia
      • Medical imaging
      • Mental health
      • Mindfulness
      • MIS-C
      • Neck surgery
      • Neonatal Intensive Care/Premature babies
      • Nosebleeds
      • Nutrition
      • OCD
      • Oncology
      • Pain and chronic illness
      • Pain management for procedures (Comfort Care)
      • Parenting
      • Parenting - special needs
      • Pavlik harness
      • Pelvic fractures
      • Polycystic ovarian syndrome
      • Preparing for an ultrasound (Urology and Nephrology)
      • Puberty
      • Recreation therapy
      • Scoliosis
      • Sedation for medical procedures
      • Self esteem
      • Self harm
      • Sensory processing disorder
      • Sexual orientation and gender identity
      • Siblings
      • Sickle cell anemia
      • Sleep
      • Social anxiety
      • Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
      • Staying at CHEO
      • Strep Throat
      • Stuttering and language development
      • Substance abuse
      • Suicide
      • Taking care of burns
      • Taking pills
      • Technology and family life
      • Toilet training
      • Tonsillectomy
      • Torticollis
      • Tourette syndrome
      • Traumatic brain injury
      • Ultrasounds
      • Vaccination
        Toggle Section Vaccination Menu
        • COVID vaccine FAQs
      • Vascular access
      • Vulvovaginitis
    • Community supports
    • Families First newsletter
    • Family and caregiver supports
      Toggle Section Family and caregiver supports Menu
      • Child Life
      • Grief and Bereavement Care
      • Language and interpretation services
      • Navigator Program
      • Social work
      • Spiritual support
    • Indigeneity - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Social justice
    • Patient Experience
      Toggle Section Patient Experience Menu
      • Bioethics Consultation Service
    • Reads2CHEO
    • Transition to adult care

Contact us

Receive Email Updates...
Print as a PDF fact sheet Print as a QR code 

For best results make sure background graphics are enabled.

 Table of contents

What is an ultrasound?

What will happen during the test?

Preparing for an empty bladder renal ultrasound

Preparing for a complete ultrasound

Preparing for a full bladder renal ultrasound

How can I help my child during the test?

Your appointment

What is an ultrasound?

An ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to give a ‘picture’ of body organs under the skin. Ultrasounds are painless. An average ultrasound takes 30-60 minutes, however, depending on the test ordered it may take up to two hours.

What will happen during the test

For this test, we will:

  • place a warm lotion on your child’s skin
  • move an ultrasound probe over the skin

Preparation instructions by test 

Preparing for a complete ultrasound of the abdomen and pelvis

Age (years) Fasting Amount to drink (cups)
Under 1 2 hours  
1-2 2 hours Encourage to drink
3-4 3 hours 1-2 cups
5 4 hours 2 cups
6-10 4 hours 3-4 cups
11+ 4 hours 4-5 cups
  • Fasting: If your child is having an ultrasound of the abdomen, they should fast before the scan. This means they should have nothing to eat or drink except clear liquids, including but not limited to: water, apple juice, clear freezies or Gatorade.  How long your child should fast depends on the age of your child.

    If your child has diabetes or is taking medication, talk with your doctor who asked for the exam about how to prepare.
  • Bladder filling: Your child will need a full bladder. An hour to 90 minutes before the time of your appointment, your child must drink clear liquids. The amount your child should drink depends on the age of your child. 


 

 Preparing for an empty bladder renal ultrasound

  • Fasting: Not required for this exam.
  • Bladder filling: There is no need to fill the bladder prior to the ultrasound.

Preparing for a full bladder renal ultrasound

  • Fasting: Not required for this exam.
  • Bladder filling: Your child will need a  full bladder. An hour to 90 minutes before the time of your appointment, your child must drink  clear liquids, including but not limited to: water, apple juice, clear freezies or Gatorade. The amount your child should drink depends on the age of your child: 
    Age (years) Amount to drink (cups)
    1-2 Encourage to drink
    3-5 1-2 cups
    6-10 3-4 cups
    11+ 4-5 cups

How can I help my child during the test?

You can stay with your child. Bring along a comfort item to help your child feel better, or drinks and snack for after the exam. Bring a bottle of milk for bottle-fed babies to use during the exam if needed. Our scan rooms are small, so please leave siblings at home. 

Your appointment

Please arrive ten minutes early for your appointment in CHEO's Medical Imaging department on the main floor.  Questions? Call CHEO Ultrasound at 613- 737-7600 ext. 2462 

Appointment date and time:                                                                    

Please arrive ten minutes early for your appointment in CHEO's Medical Imaging department on the main floor.  Questions? Call CHEO Ultrasound at 613- 737-7600 ext. 2462 

#BestLife for every child and youth

2021-12-24 | P6228

This reference is for educational purposes only. If you have any questions, ask your health-care provider.

CHEO

  • Visiting CHEO
  • Clinics, Services & Programs
  • Resources and Support
  • Get Involved
  • About Us

Contact Us

CHEO
401 Smyth Road
Ottawa ON K1H 8L1
Phone: 613-737-7600
Email Us

 

Connect with us

View our Facebook Page View our Twitter Page View our Instagram Page View our YouTube Page View our LinkedIn Page

Sign up for our newsletter

twitter:1248b279-93aa-4ec9-8398-fb5ed28a6413

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario logo

Copyright 2021 CHEO.

By GHD Digital
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy and confidentiality
  • Website Feedback
  • Contact Us

Staff Portal

Close Old Browser Notification
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.