“What can I do to make my son comfortable with this CT scan?”
My son needs to have a CT scan on his head, but I can tell he's a little nervous. He also isn't a fan of tight spaces. Is there anything that I can do, or that the technician can do, to make him feel comfortable during his scan? (like playing music, for example)
6 Answers
A small dose of Xanax might help.
CTScanner has the relatively open gantry as compared to an MRI. It takes literally one minute or less for the entire scan to be done. Most people have no issues with a feeling of tight Spaces. Normally no sedation is required. Talk to your son before the exam, he’ll do just fine.
Yes, we have headphones. You can also request sedation with Xanax or Aprazolam
CT scan of head is not in a confined space like MRI. The Scan time is less than 20 seconds with most of the newer higher speed CT scanners. Your son does not have to feel nervous.
The newer CT scanners have a much wider bore then MRI machines - tight spaces are essentially non existent. Also, a CT head takes only a few seconds to complete with the typical 64 slice scanners. Just tell him this and he should be fine.
There are a couple things you can do depending on his age. If he is old enough to understand how long things take you can reassure him that the scan is actually very quick, in the realm of seconds. The CT scanner is not as enclosed as MRI scanner so less of a tight spaces issue. Music is certainly fine, but again we are only talking seconds for the scan. So, he won't be able to even finish one song.
Best of luck and hopefully you encounter a tech who is good with kids and the process will be a breeze.
Best of luck and hopefully you encounter a tech who is good with kids and the process will be a breeze.
