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Ionising radiation is especially dangerous for children

Department of Health (DOH ) recommends practices to reduce radiation exposure in pediatric imaging, including using alternative, non-radiation diagnostic imaging procedures such as MRIs and ultrasounds when possible;…The pamphlets and pocket cards are available for download at the state Health Department website.

(USA) Parents can track kids’ radiation exposure, Times Union, By CATHLEEN CROWLEY Staff Writer   ccrowley@timesunion.com.    September 3, 2010 ALBANY — Doctors track your child’s height, weight and inoculations. Now, add radiation exposure to the list.

The state Department of Health wants your parents and pediatricians to keep a list of your child’s exposure to X-rays and more potent CT scans. The DOH even has wallet-sized cards that parents can use to record the information.

Research has shown that exposure to radiation increases the risk of developing cancer later in life. The danger is even greater for children, said Dr. Robert Rapoport, a radiologist at St. Peter’s Hospital involved in the campaign to reduce exposure. “If you are 90 years old it doesn’t make a big difference,” Rapoport said. “But if you are 9 years old, that radiation has years and years to cause cancer as well as affect ovaries and testicles … so potentially you may pass down some of those mutations to your children.”…..

DOH is mailing information pamphlets and pocket cards to 16,000 pediatricians and doctors across the state. It is part of a campaign to increase awareness about radiation and CT scans called “Image Gently.”

The pamphlet “What Parents Should Know About CT Scans for Children: Medical Radiation Safety” includes basic information about X-rays and CT scans and strategies to reduce the risks. Parents can also use the “My Child’s Medical Imaging Record” cards to track dates and locations of imaging exam.

DOH recommends practices to reduce radiation exposure in pediatric imaging, including using alternative, non-radiation diagnostic imaging procedures such as MRIs and ultrasounds when possible;…The pamphlets and pocket cards are available for download at the state Health Department website.

Parents can track kids’ radiation exposure – Times Union

September 4, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive