What To Expect When Your Child Needs An MRI

Health & Medical Blog

One of the tests your pediatrician may order when something is wrong with your child is an MRI. This test can help find an infection, or other problems in the body that will not be found with a simple blood test. It uses radio waves and magnets to create detailed images of bones, organs, blood vessels, and soft tissue in the body. Depending on what the doctor need to see, the test can take anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes. This can be a bit traumatizing for a child. Here is a bit of information about the testing and some tips for helping your child get through it.

Staying Still

One of the problems many people, children in particular, have during an MRI is staying still. The patient is put on a table that slides into a tube that does the testing. There will be a series of scans done with a bit of a rest during the different scans. To have images that are accurate and readable it is very important that the patient stay as still as possible when the machine is on. Do not be surprised if your child is sedated for the process. If this is needed, he or she will have monitors attached for a constant reading of heart rate, respirations, and temperature.

Noises

During an MRI, the machine makes noises. Your child will hear clicks, bumps and whirring sounds. If you think he or she will become scared at the sounds, it is possible for the patient to wear headphones inside the tube. Music or a move can be played through the headphones to drown out the machine sounds.

Your Presence

You can stay in the room with your child until it is time for the testing to begin. It might be possible for you to stay in there during the testing too. However, you would not be able to touch or talk to your child during the testing if you are in the same room. You can speak to your child through an intercom if you go into the control room with the technician. This way, you can soothe your child and keep him or her calm during the scans.

If your child is old enough to explain the procedure to, do so before going for the scan. While he or she might not understand completely, having some knowledge of what is going to happen can help. Reassure your child that you will be in the next room and waiting for him or her when the testing is done. The test will not hurt, but can be a bit scary. Everything possible will be done to keep your child from being scared. Remember, the calmer you are beforehand, the more it will help your child remain calm too. For more information, contact establishments like Kenai Peninsula Imaging Center, LLC.

Share

8 September 2017

Take Your Health Into Your Own Hands

My name is Katie Langer. For a long time, I was bed ridden and I felt like I had no control over my life. I simply went along with what was instructed by my doctor and I didn't ask questions. It wasn't that my doctor wasn't willing to work with me, but I preferred to simply not think about the illness I was suffering from. I didn't realize that some of the symptoms I was suffering from were side effects of my medication and were not normal. After communicating more with my doctor, I was able to alleviate my symptoms. Since then, I've taken an interest in patient-doctor relationships and how to improve them.