X-Rays and Your Child

I spoke a little about my little man going to the doctor on Saturday night because he was limping. He was, in fact, unable to walk completely without crying. I took him to the ER, as the phone nurse told me, and he was admitted. Because Sam has some issues with his feet sometimes in the middle of the night (the docs suggested maybe very early growing pains?) and his left foot is turned in, although no doctor has even been able to tell, I let them do an X-Ray. I was very frightened that he may have arthritis , which my grandmother pretty much died from. They were also worried about a break, or a  toddler fracture. 

So in the same week I allowed my son to be put on antibiotics for a “possible strep throat” and and X-Ray for maybe a broken bone. I know that if Rick had been there it would have been earier for me to protest… While thinking about Sam in the X-Ray room I thought it may happen that the doctors wouldn’t allow me in the room with him and even still would strap him to a board. I was so relieved when I could be in there and hold his leg myself that I didn’t notice that the radiology tech FORGOT TO GIVE HIM A LEAD APRON!!!  As I picked Sam up from two X-Rays he said that he didn’t like my big, bulky lead apron and then I realized that he didn’t have one on. Just the the tech came over and put an apron on him exclaiming in a cutesy, little voice, “Whoops! I should have put this on earlier.” I can hardly keep myself from screaming even now. While looking at the X-Rays later to show Sam how cool it was I got a GOOD PICTURE of his testicles in the X-Ray.

There were other concerns on my mind, however, and my mind must have classified the concern because for the rest of the night I only hardly thought about it. When I went to work the next night a certified nurse an aother dieticin that I work with (can you tell it’s a night job for stay-at-home moms?) were freaked. Then I realized the hugeness of this. I called the ER when I got home and the nurse told me it was no big deal. I called the radiology department of another hospital to find out the laws regarding this tye of ting and she said that to cover a child’s gentials is a “standard of care”, not a law.

Tomorrow I will see Sam’s doc as a follow up to his poor, baby legs and hopefully I will get more info. But be warned: YOUR CHILD SHOULD ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVE A LEAD APRON OVER HIS OR HER GENITALS FOR ANY TYPE OF X-RAY. SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF. NOW YOU KNOW!!!

I have no control over what was done with my son now and even if there were damages we don’t believe in suing. But because the nurse told me that he got no more radiation from the two X-Rays than from standing in front of the microwave, I took our microwave out of use! LOL Officially. Rick gave me a week. If we really don’t need it, we’re selling it and buying a toaster oven. Check out more on this over at Keeper of the Home.

Be blessed. And well.