Advise from any health professionals Please?!

[Busymummy50]

My son aged 12 slouches when he sits and he has a very curved back, curbing outwards like a 'c'. I was unable to take him to a gp during lockdown but was able to send in photo and ask gp for advise. He was then referred to a specialist.

I took him today and upon arrival, before even being seen, he was ordered to get an x-ray of his spine (front and side). Then when we saw the doctor, he told me his back is fine and that it's normal. He went on to make me feel like I shouldn't had taken him to get it checked as it's normal and told me he thought he was ok when he saw the photos. He also mentioned that my son has now been subjected to a large amount of radiation that he didn't really need and that they don't like to give children xrays if they didn't really need to.

So this left me thinking "why didn't he check my son first before ordering an x-ray and only if he felt it needed to be done?

Any health professionals who can give me some reassurance?! As I'm now worrying about the risks of cancer later on. I know I cannot do anything now as it's done but I just wonder if this is how hospitals work when it comes to xrays, just do it anyway and then see doctor?!

If they xrayed his entire spine (which they may well not have done) it'll be about equivalent to just living on this planet, in an average area, for about a year.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-radiation-patient-doses/patient-dose-information-guidance

Was it the specialist that xrayed him? That was very rude the way they spoke to you if I'm honest. By curvature of the spine they would be checking for scoliosis which in some cases can be very visable by looking at a person but in other cases needs xrays to determine if it is present and how bad it is. I am glad for now it is mild or okay but can lead to back pain later in life however I assume he doesn't have it if they said its okay? I am sorry you where treated this way another argument is they shouldn't just be xraying people then if they weren't suspective of something themselves. Your son will be fine this was a one off and you have peace of mind now

Don’t worry about the x-rays at all, I used to work in x-ray and some premature babies had chest X-rays every day, as well as all the patients in intensive care. The specialist should never have made you feel like that. It was obviously important to get any spinal curvature ruled out. Sounds like it’s more a postural thing, maybe a physio could give some exercises.

Thank you all for replying. The consultant has referred my son back to the gp for posture training and he said thereafter it is up to us to remind our son.... The fact that the consultant said that they have subjected my son now to a large dose of radiation unnecessarily, angers me because he also mentioned that he saw the gp photos and felt my son is fine. Therefore why did they x-ray him first? Surely they could see him first then decide if x-ray is needed?! The fact that he mentioned that they do bit like to xrays children unless they have to.... contradictions....

nocoolnamesleft, thank you for info. I looked it up, not sure what it comes under....my son had an x-ray of his spine, front and side.

I would actually think about making a complaint. It’s not your fault that you were concerned about your son, or that they decided to X-ray him without examining him. That was totally out of order for him to say what he did and make you feel bad.