Taking a child to a breast screening appointment, would the hospital allow it?

[EarlyAppointment]

Had anyone taken a child to a breast screening appt (2ww referral) and the hospital have been ok with them just sitting in the waiting area ?

Ive been given a very early appt next Thursday but have absolutely nobody to have DS (9) so id have to take him with me and take him into school late afterwards. I can’t
get hold of the clinic to ask (will keep trying though) .

He would just sit quietly and wait so I think it will be ok?

I'm another who would absolutely do this for a fellow school mum if asked, regardless of whether we'd spoken before.

Any friends of your ds whose parents you could ask?

As others have said you can be at the clinic for several hours, and it can be stressful.

Please do ask on the class what’s app. You don’t need to give details. Or simply ask if anyone had a teenager who could sit with your son for an hour and then walk him to school.

I’d definitely take any child in my daughter’s school class for breakfast and school drop off if another parent had an appointment like this. The appointment will take a long time and is not suitable for a child.

They will notice and I very much doubt it will be allowed, unfortunately. The

You can indeed get the result the same day. I went in, had a mammogram. Then they said let's do an ultrasound. Then they said, hmmm, let's do a biopsy, then a doctor told me I had breast cancer. All happened within the space of about 3 hours. So I think anyone going to one of these appointments must be prepared for bad news, even if - hopefully - that does not happen.

They do.
That's the entire point of a 2WW fast track appointment. (clinician here)

I had to take my 9yo to radiotherapy once. No issues. She sat in waiting room watching her ipad

Seriously reach out to a fellow parent of a classmate or the school. I went to a similar appointment for something else and I was there for some time between ultrasound, examination and biopsy all rather unexpectedly.

My understanding is that a biopsy cannot be physically examined in that time, the dehydration, chemical processing etc isn’t done within hours? That’s what I was told anyway. But certainly in my trust, you do not get a diagnosis without the biopsy result (and that then has to be interpreted by a multidisciplinary team) so it takes 2-3 weeks where I am.

Although as orhers said, if there is a chance of bad news or biopsy being taken then I wouldn't take a child. My first appointment was a mammogram only, its fine to take a kid for that. I didn't get results until 2 weeks later when biopsy was processed.
I had bad news unfortunately and it was very unexpected

Lots of people have people accompanying them to hospital appointments. He’s nine, he’s just going to sit in the waiting area and read. This is not the same as when people try to take toddlers in to ultrasound appointments.

Im often in hospital waiting areas. Nobody is looking to see who is waiting for someone. The staff are busy doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Some diagnoses do not require biopsy.

In a one stop breast clinic you are surrounded by patients awaiting diagnosis results, post surgery outcomes and the like, lots of very scared and nervous people. It’s not the place for a child.

The staff will notice an unaccompanied child.
They cannot keep an eye on him, they are not responsible for him but in leaving him alone in a waiting room you are making them responsible.

At my local breast screening clinic signs are very clear that absolutely no unaccompanied children are allowed to wait int the waiting room. So I’m another one saying definitely ask any of your child’s classmates/friends’ parents for help. I really do think people will be happy to help. I’d have done it for the parent of any child in my children’s classes - and very definitely for the parent of any child my child was actually friendly with

💐and good luck for the appointment.

Well, sadly, that's not always true because it literally happened to me. I had a needle biopsy (not the same as the other biopsy that they did at a later date). They put a long needle directly into my boob, removed some cells and looked under a microscope, the same doctor who did that came back into the room and said that unfortunately the cells did appear to be breast cancer. This was backed up some days later by a fuller biopsy where they used something that was sprung loaded (like a grabber) and removed a chunk of the tumour. Sorry to be derailing the original post, but it's pretty annoying and insulting for someone to be telling me what happened at my own breast cancer diagnosis. It's not something I'll forget in a hurry. As a clinician has said above, the whole point of the 2 week appointments is that you get the result straight away. I only replied originally because it's important that anyone going to these appointments - including OP - to have things in place in case of bad news. Ideally, you get an all clear and go on about your day, but it far from always the case.

Ok well I apologise that was your situation, but equally lots of people won’t be told on the same day because a biopsy is needed to diagnose and that usually can’t be done in a day. Believe me, I’d much rather not have to bloody wait when the consultant looked pretty convinced as he was!

Biopsies are not always needed to diagnose.
The majority of people who attend a 2WW pathway get a diagnosis the same day.

I’ve had breast cancer three times and they don’t diagnose formally that day, but you will be warned if they strongly suspect cancer. It can be a long appointment with mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsy then and there.

@Isobel201I was given my bad news results same day, I was there for a minimum of 3 hrs too

Talk to breakfast club - they might be able to take him as a one off from when the staff arrive rather than opening. At which point you’d be 15 mins late for the appointment.

For a regular hospital appt, most 9 yos can handle sitting in the waiting room.

For this one that might turn into multiple investigations, you need to get him to school.

I have had another parent that I don’t know that well call me and ask for help with their child for things like this. I once even had to leave work to do it. It’s a hospital issue. People will help.

Yes this. I too was given bad news. I was told they were 95% certain that it was cancer and had a biopsy the same day.

Hopefully it will be good news for you OP, but the clinic is not a place for children. As a pp suggested can you ask on the school WhatsApp group.

Definitely don’t take them please.
you might be ok and your child an angel, but many of people in that waiting room will be anxious, scared and emotional.
it’s not fair on others.
I went to a one stop shop breast unit when I had a suspicious lump.
within two hours I was a blubbering mess as it was confirmed as likely BC.
you need to be sensitive to others in this situation.
unfortunately if you genuinely have no child care option you’ll have to reschedule.
good luck with your appointment and remember that most people leave reassured rather than the alternative 💐

I was given my cancer diagnosis at my first clinic appt, just by having an ultrasound. Then I had to have anaesthetic, biopsies etc. I was there three hours. I hope it’s good news for you but it would be sensible to consider the what ifs.