If Any Radiologist /Radio Tech / or Experienced Mom Can Help Me Regarding Xrays

Updated on June 20, 2018
M.A. asks from Miami, FL
7 answers

My son 3 year had 4 views of mandible xrays after slipping on the floor and had pain in his lower jaw. I went to ent doctor n he asked for 4 views of lower jaw there was no shielding of thyroid. Thyroid is very sensitive area in younger age. I m so worried and i regret y i consulted that dr who immidiately sent him for xrays even though there were no physical signs of any fracture and now i know that even if there is a fracture it had to be dealt with conservative management so what was the use of those xrays!!! He already had one chest xray at 2 years age for his wheeze and bronchitis. So in total 5 times his thyroid and neck got radiations. He had an abdominal xray too at 2 yrs of age. But now i m more concerned abt his thryoid and lymphnodes. M i crazy ??? Or m i right these 4 lower jaw xrays 1 chest xray and 1 abdominal xray are too much. M really worried after reading about the chances and risk of getting cancer in people who are xrayed in childhood. Is there any mom whose kids got this many xrays in childhood and they are doing fine as adults now???

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So What Happened?

U people sound right but i have read each and every article from 1895 till date related to radiations (scientists deaths by radiations who discovered xrays,japan bombing , chernobyl and fukushima meltdown , kuwait and uk researches)and it makes me feel sick that i am really a worst mother who let her kid got exposed to so much radiations in a young. U can read articles which say even a single x ray in chilhood can increases risk of leukemia. And for thyroid there isnt any threshhold dose so better not to get irradiated and he got 5 xrays of thyroid alone so i feel bad for myself for being a bad mother , earlier i cudnt breast feed my kid it makes me feel bad. Dental xrays are always with thyroid shield/guard but these 5 xrays were without any shield. Thanku you ladies for replying though its my first ever post but found it very positive platform.

More Answers

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

an 'experienced mom' is NOT a great substitute for the advice of a medical professional.

the 'use of the x-rays' when you had them taken is that your son was injured and in pain and the medical professionals decided that x-rays were the best and fastest way to get the necessary information to treat him appropriately. if his jaw HAD been fractured would you have been okay with it?

smart people do limit the amount of radiation to which they're exposed. that doesn't mean avoiding x-rays when they are called for.

your hysteria over the issue is far, far more damaging, both to your child and yourself, than the x-rays.

i strongly suggest you talk to a therapist about this overblown terror.
khairete
S.

8 moms found this helpful

W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

ETA - girl you need a mental health professional. Seriously. You feel like you're "the worst mom" because your son had XRAYS? Girl, Please. Like I stated, your son gets more radiation from being outside in the sun. PLEASE get a grip and get some help for this paranoia you have. I am not trying to be rude. You are going to put yourself in a tizzy (sounds like you are there already). You're more than a Helicopter Mom - you're truly OVER THINKING things. Breathe. BREATHE!!! Your son is okay.
__________________________________

welcome to mamapedia, M. A.

Stop panicking and freaking out.

The XRAY Technicians will NOT do anything to jeopardize your son's health any further. They follow the rules and regulations.

Get yourself educated on radiation
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410979,00.html
you're freaking out - we get more radiation from the sun (6 mSv=millisievert, the scientific unit of measurement for radiation dose) than you do from an XRAY = .06)

CALM DOWN!!!!

7 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Boston on

There are no studies that support the idea that regular childhood x-rays done today (or in the past 20-30 years) increase the risk thyroid cancer. The study that came out a few years ago from Kuwait that caused a big stir was based on people's recollections of their x-ray exposure, not actual use of medical records, and had other flaws. A subsequent study in the US looked at a population who answered questionnaires from 1982 - 2005 and found a link between x-ray exposure before 1970 but no evidence that increased risk was due to childhood or adolescent exposure.

Sometimes, doctors need images to see what's going on and treat your child. An xray is very low-dose radiation (much lower today than it was decades ago) and not the same amount of radiation as a CT scan or the kind of radiation treatment that can be used to treat other medical issues. That kind of radiation has been linked to thyroid cancer and repeated CT scans in children are something to be very cautious about..

If you can't stop worrying about this, please talk to your pediatrician or dentist, who can hopefully reassure you. In the future, if this is something that worries you, ask for anyone doing an xray on that area (like at the dentist) to use a thyroid shield. It's good to be cautious, but does you no good to fret about something that's already done and that you can't change.

5 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

You get more radiation from sunlight than you do from xrays.
You have more risk of skin cancer from sunlight - but a little (like 15 min per day) is actually good for you - helps you make vitamin D.
If reading articles is making you crazy - stop reading the articles.
Being a constant worry wart mom will have a bad effect on your kid.
If your anxiety is over the top - talk to your doctor about that and do what's needed to get that under control..

5 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

They are just X-rays, if the benefit did not outweigh the risk the doctor would not recommend it. My son has JRA so he has had X-rays done of his joints every other year for his entire life, not to mention dental X-rays on schedule, he is fine. I would be more concerned with how much fear you seem to have about routine care and I might consider seeing a therapist if I was you.

4 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Your problem is not the radiation exposure that you and your children get daily.

You seriously need to talk with a professional about this and other irrational fears which could in turn cause you to pass irrational fears to your child and damage him emotionally.. long term.

Get a grip on yourself. All will be ok.

3 moms found this helpful

D.D.

answers from Boston on

One of my daughters is a rad tech and they take great care is making sure everything that needs to be done is done with as little exposure as possible. Some xrays are pretty cut and dry There's an issue and the only way to set the correct course of treatment is to see what's going on inside.

There have been times when she's consulted with the doctor on what he hopes to see from an xray when she feels its not needed or too many views have been ordered. A couple times she's flat out not done them because they were unnecessary and basically ordered just to shut the patient up.

Kids fall, kids just sick, kids need x rays at times to help set their treatment. The amount of radiation your kid has been exposed to is minimal. He'll be find.

1 mom found this helpful
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