No change in risk: There is no change in a 6 year-old's risk for cancer if she gets several x-rays or CT's, meaning she is not at increased risk of cancer compared to the rest of us. That's because everything one does in this world exposes her to almost undetectable levels of "cancer causing stuff", so we ignore the tiny effects and only worry when there are big risks, like excessive sun exposure, and like smoking.
Answered 1/16/2015
3.6k views
Needs over risks : everything in medicine is risk versus benefit. X-rays are less significant but CT scans do cause radiation and cumulative doses do change overall lifetime cancer risk. It was a needed study most likely. Over time however, a well educated parent could ask if CTs are needed as much as they probably are performed in the emergency departments in westernized medicine. I would go with guidelines.
Answered 1/16/2015
3.6k views
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