Ct Scans in Children

I think you have to think about the alternatives to NOT having the necessary tests for what ails them at the time. I'm sure you did the right thing and hospitals are very aware of putting kids through tests that are not necessary!

Well, as a recovering Worrier, I simply had to realize that all the fretting in the world can't possibly change what's already happened.

Learn all you can about non-toxic homes, good nutrition, and healthy life habits going forward. That's really a lot, and the best any of us can do. And chronic worry is a health threat, too…

Even if a scan was PROVEN to cause cancer... given the choice between having my son die that day/week or being given the chance to save him and then fight the cancer battle... I'd fight the cancer battle.

My son's actually allergic to CT contrast, so we've never actually had one although we had 'fun' with a full body reaction to the contrast (many, many MRI's and chest films, however, neither of which are as effective at "seeing" what needs to be seen in my son, but are better than flying completely blind). That's my "peace" with technology and unknowns. What is the alternative? That he bleed out into his brain and seize and die? That he die of a massive internal infection (abdominal abscesses), that he run the risk of major exploratory surgery, when a scan can tell us in 5 minutes without having to stress his body out?

My personal view is that if I have to dislocate his arm to yank him out of the way of an oncoming car, that we can deal with the side effects of X, once we've avoided the side effects of death.

I know this is an old post n hope ur kids r doing well, if u people can tell when these head ct scans are done do they cover the neck area of ur children???

I've had that concern as well. My son had to have 2 CT scans of his head before he was 3 weeks old, the second scan I think most likely wasn't necessary-- In fact, those at the hospital were shocked the DR. ordered it, but being a first time mom I had no clue and just went with it!

When he fell from his 3 ft tall changing table, I took him to the ER who said he appeared great, didn't see any need for xrays, but also understand that sometimes parents need the confirmation to give them more assurance that everything was really alright, so it was up to us to decide.

My husband and I both decided since the CT's are equivalent to like 100 xrays (I think) there was no way we were going to put him through another round of exposure, especially before he was 6 months old!

Do I freak out over his scans and the possibility he could get cancer? Not really (but it does periodically cross my mind). Do I use the information I now know in my future decisions for my son, most definitely. That's all we really can do--weigh the risks and benefits and go from there.

Good Luck, BTW I'm sure your kids are perfectly fine :)

Hi K.,

I work on a research study and part of what we do is MRIs and CT scans of the heart and lungs. So, I can offer you the NIH perspective on radiation exposure - as well as my own thoughts having had conversations with multiple CT techs at one of the most highly recognized research hospitals in the USA.

Radiation is cumulative - which means ONE CT scan isn't going to cause cancer, unless you are already astronomically super high risk. Radiation builds up in your system over time. You get radiation from lots of different sources all the time. It is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid radiation all together.

If the CT scan was considered "low dose" it was probably the same level of radiation that your kids would normally get over a 2 or 3 year period in the sun. That's a typical low dose amount for one CT scan. The horror stories you hear are when some crazy tech takes 30 scans of the kid. Or someone wants to have a CT scan for everything - and ends up having 4 or 5 a year. That's too many. But one CT scan to determine if your kid needs medical intervention is absolutely fine. If either of your kids ever do have cancer it will NOT be solely due to that one CT scan they had when they were kids, I assure you. Cancer has more to do with every day lifestyle factors and genetic pre-disposition. THEN you factor in occasional exposure stuff like CT scans.

If your family has a pre-disposition to cancer (either of your parents had cancer that wasn't skin cancer, any of your siblings had cancer that wasn't skin cancer) AND you have lifestyle choices that might increase the chance of having cancer (smoking, lots of sexual partners, heavy hard alcohol consumption, extremely poor diet, eat off microwaved styrofoam containers every day, drink gallons of diet soda everyday etc) then, yes... you and your kids should probably not have UNNECESSARY CT scans.

But even if you are a cancer survivor who smokes 3 packs a day and drinks whiskey every day, who is a pilot who files 8 hours a day 5 days a week..... do you know what you have every 3 months to see if your cancer is clear? A CT Scan!!!!! Because it's the only reliable way to determine if you are in remission. And even in that scenario - that person having a CT Scan is MUCH less risk having the scan than not finding out the information and being able to treat it.

I wouldn't worry. You're better off using that energy worrying about how to talk to them about sex or drugs or lying. THAT stuff will be WAY more detrimental to their health than even if they had a CT scan every other year for the rest of their lives.

I can also tell you that generally if we see anything on our participants it is USUALLY with the CT scan and NOT the MRI. And our CT scans are not even with contrast. It's just a clean research-grade one scan CT. The MRI is a full closed MRI of the chest with gadolinium contrast. And the low-dose CT is STILL better than the MRI. MRI's are great for somethings. CTs are great for others. What's best is to be able to make an informed decision that is not based on some sort of emotion or fear - which is almost impossible to do as a mom!!!!!!!

Just my $0.02

K.:

I'm sorry - you are reading into the HYPE that the media wants and it's scaring you....

were they medically necessary?
Did they set your mind at ease when they were done?
Which would you rather have - your child dead because you were scared that the scan MIGHT cause cancer or your child alive and well?

STOP worrying and doing research on things that MIGHT happen...enjoy your children...love them...

You can not undo what is done, so no point in stressing about it. Just make sure you opt for the MRI if and when needed in the future.