When your child has a condition requiring a chest X-ray, you're already worried about his health. Concerns about the dangers posed by the X-ray can become just one more concern that you have to deal with. However, the risks of a single chest X-ray are small, and the benefits of knowing what is wrong with your child far override any possible risks.
Procedure
During an X-ray exam, your child sits or stands in front of the X-ray machine as it sends a beam of radiation through his body. This radiation is captured on a large piece of film on the other side of your child. Because the radioactive particles penetrate through different organs and tissues, this creates a picture of the child's bones and organs on the film. In young children, one X-ray is often taken with the child facing the machine and another facing sideways. Older kids might face sideways for one shot and backward for another.
Reasons
Your child might need a chest X-ray for a variety of reasons. A doctor often uses this test to diagnose the cause of chest pain, breathing problems or a persistent cough. They can also be used to determine whether a child has swallowed a small object, such as a coin or toy. If your child is undergoing treatment for an existing medical condition, a chest X-ray might be used to ensure that tubes have been inserted correctly.
Risks
An X-ray involves a dose of radiation, so a small risk is involved. Children can be more sensitive to the effects of X-rays than adults because they are still growing and developing. However, the amount of radiation delivered in a chest X-ray is about the same as you get in 10 days from normal everyday environmental exposure. Remember, too, that while a single exposure is fairly safe, multiple exposures to radiation from different sources can build up over time.
Considerations
While the whole X-ray procedure seems like it takes a long time, the actual radiation exposure is less than a second. A lead shield is usually used to cover the child's genitals to prevent damage to the reproductive organs during the scan. If your child needs a chest X-ray, ask for a technician who has experience with kids. A technician used to working with children will be better at getting a good X-ray image the first time and not requiring multiple retakes. Other procedures, such as a CT scan, can expose a child to far more radiation than an X-ray, so discuss the risks and benefits of any diagnostic scan with your doctor.
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