How Safe is Paediatric Ultrasound for Children?
There are several instances in which it may be necessary for a child to undergo an ultrasound. In these cases, a parent’s primary concern will be for the comfort and safety of their child. At Vision XRAY Group, we hope to assure you of the complete safety of ultrasounds for children.
How Safe is Paediatric Ultrasound for Children?
10 Dec, 2013
There are several instances in which it may be necessary for a child to undergo an ultrasound. In these cases, a parent’s primary concern will be for the comfort and safety of their child. At Vision XRAY Group, we hope to assure you of the complete safety of ultrasounds for children.
Ultrasound technology utilises sound waves to help create images of the body. These sound waves cannot be felt or heard. Because ultrasound uses sound waves, and does not use any potentially harmful ionising radiation, the ultrasound for children is a completely risk-free procedure. An ultrasound is a quick and easy noninvasive examination, and is performed without the necessity of sedating the child, or even requiring them to hold perfectly still. At times, an older child may be asked to take a deep breath during the ultrasound. Another benefit of child ultrasound is the absence of any side effects. A fast and totally painless examination, the child can undergo their scan at one of our sites, and return immediately to school or to home.
Common Uses
Child ultrasound is commonly used for abdominal ultrasounds. This is useful in diagnosing appendicitis, scanning after injury or trauma, or helping determine the cause of abdominal pain or problems. We perform paediatric hip ultrasounds on children or infants, if the birth indicates potential problems, or if child has an abnormal clinical examination, or shows signs of pain or an inability to bear weight. Ultrasound for children is also useful for bladder scans, to help diagnose problems such as urinary tract infections or gall stones.
The Ultrasound
We help to put you and your child at ease during the ultrasound. The technician will perform the scan with your child mostly positioned laying on his or her back or side. The ultrasound is painless, and your child should experience no discomfort. Your child will want to wear loose-fitting clothing, so that the technician can easily access the proper body areas for the scan. The technician will place a warm gel on your child’s skin, just covering the area which is to be scanned. The ultrasound transducer, or probe, is a handheld device, and should not seem too noisy or frightening to your child. The entire process of the child ultrasound should usually take half an hour or less.
A Useful Tool
Ultrasound is an excellent tool for diagnosing medical issues in both children and adults, and is a wonderful resource. Its effectiveness in producing quality internal images makes it a great option for scanning, and child ultrasound is a safe, noninvasive procedure which will be instrumental in helping your physician with the diagnosis and treatment of your child. At Vision XRAY Group, we assure you of your child’s safety. The ultrasound for children is one of the best possible choices for imaging technology which is safe, straightforward, and highly effective.
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