What is a colonoscopy?

If your doctor thinks you might have IBD, you may hear the word colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is a test that lets your healthcare team look at the inside of your large intestine (colon) and the very end of your small intestine.

It can help doctors understand what's happening inside your gut and look for signs of inflammation.

If you've never had one before, you might have lots of questions.

“What actually happens?”

“Will it hurt?”

“Will I be awake?”

“What if I'm embarrassed?”

Let's go through it step by step.

🔎 What happens during a colonoscopy?

A doctor uses a long, thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope.

It has a tiny camera and light at the end.

The colonoscope allows the doctor to see the lining of your bowel on a screen.

It can help them look for things such as inflammation, ulcers or other changes.

You won't be watching the procedure yourself.

🥤 The bowel prep

Before a colonoscopy, your bowel needs to be empty so your doctor can see properly.

This means you'll need to take special medicine called bowel preparation.

You'll usually start this at home before your procedure.

It makes you poo a lot — often several times — until your bowel is empty.

You may need to spend quite a bit of time near the toilet.

Your healthcare team will give you instructions about exactly what to eat, drink and take before your colonoscopy.

💡 Tip

The bowel prep can be one of the hardest parts of the whole experience.

Make yourself as comfortable as possible.

You could:

• Stay somewhere close to the toilet

• Have your favourite show or music ready

• Wear comfortable clothes

• Keep plenty of toilet paper nearby

• Ask your parent or carer to stay close

• Follow your hospital's instructions about drinking fluids

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If you're struggling with the bowel prep or can't keep it down, tell your parent or carer and contact your healthcare team for advice.

🏥 Arriving at hospital

On the day of your colonoscopy, you'll go to the hospital or clinic.

A nurse will check you in and talk you through what is going to happen.

You may have your blood pressure, heart rate and temperature checked.

You'll usually change into a hospital gown.

You can ask questions at any point.

You don't have to be brave and stay quiet if you're worried.

Tell the nurses or doctors how you're feeling.

😴 Will I be awake?

For children and teenagers, colonoscopies are generally done with anaesthesia or sedation, so you won't be awake in the usual way during the procedure.

Your healthcare team will explain what type you'll have and what to expect.

You'll be monitored throughout the procedure.

You won't be expected to simply lie there awake while the colonoscopy happens.

🔎 The actual colonoscopy

Once you're asleep or appropriately sedated, the doctor carefully passes the colonoscope through the bottom and into the large intestine.

The camera lets them see the lining of your bowel.

The procedure itself usually takes around 20–45 minutes, although the whole hospital visit will take longer.

The exact time can vary.

🔬 What about biopsies?

During the colonoscopy, your doctor may take some tiny tissue samples, called biopsies.

These are sent to a laboratory so they can be examined under a microscope.

You won't feel the biopsies being taken while you're under anaesthesia or sedation.

Your doctor may take biopsies even if everything looks normal.

That's because looking at the tissue under a microscope can give doctors information that they can't see just by looking at the bowel.

🌤️ Waking up

After the procedure, you'll wake up in a recovery area.

You might feel:

• Sleepy

• A little groggy

• Bloated

• Gassy

• A little uncomfortable

  
  

You may also have a sore throat if you had an upper endoscopy at the same time.

Your parent or carer can usually be with you once you're awake and settled.

You'll be monitored for a while before you're ready to go home.

🍌 What can I eat afterwards?

Your healthcare team will tell you when you're ready to eat and drink.

Many people start with drinks and then have something light to eat.

You may feel hungry after not eating normally before the procedure!

Follow the instructions your hospital gives you.

🚗 Going home

Most children and teenagers can go home on the same day after a colonoscopy.

Because you've had anaesthesia or sedation, you'll need an adult to take you home and stay with you as instructed by your healthcare team.

You might feel tired for the rest of the day.

It's usually a good idea to have a quiet day and give your body time to recover.

💬 When will I get my results?

Sometimes your doctor can tell you what they saw during the colonoscopy soon afterwards.

But the biopsy results take longer because the tissue needs to be examined in a laboratory.

Your doctor will explain when and how you'll get your results.

Try not to panic if you don't get an answer immediately.

Waiting for results can be frustrating, but it doesn't mean something is wrong.

😳 What if I'm embarrassed?

This is a really common worry.

You might feel embarrassed about having doctors examine an area of your body that you normally keep private.

But remember:

Healthcare professionals do this because it's their job.

They've seen it all before.

They're focused on keeping you safe and finding out what's happening with your health.

You won't be expected to feel completely comfortable with everything.

It's okay to feel awkward.

😟 What if I'm scared?

Being nervous about a colonoscopy is completely normal.

You can tell your doctor or nurse:

“I'm really nervous.”

They can explain things again and help you understand what's going to happen.

You can also ask your parent or carer to stay with you as much as possible.

Some people find it helpful to:

• Bring headphones

• Listen to music

• Watch something on their phone

• Ask lots of questions

• Take a favourite comfort item

• Practise slow breathing

• Focus on what you'll do afterwards

And remember — you don't have to pretend you're not scared.

❓ Questions you can ask your healthcare team

Before your colonoscopy, you might want to ask:

“What type of anaesthetic or sedation will I have?”

“How long will I be at hospital?”

“What can I eat and drink beforehand?”

“What will the bowel prep be like?”

“When can I go back to school?”

“When will I get my results?”

“Can my parent or carer stay with me?”

There are no silly questions.

💛 Remember

A colonoscopy can sound pretty scary when you've never had one before.

But you won't be expected to figure it all out yourself.

Your healthcare team will explain what is happening and look after you throughout the process.

The hardest part might be the bowel prep and waiting for the appointment, rather than the procedure itself.

And once it's over, you can go home, rest and get back to your normal routine.

It's one test that can help your doctors understand what's happening inside your body.

You've got this. 💛