Do not be scared if the local pediatrician suggests taking your child to an abdominal ultrasound. Do not refuse this study, it does not affect the work of the baby’s body, does not hurt him and does not irradiate him.
When is ultrasound prescribed?
Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity for children under one year old is done in the following cases:
- to assess the development of internal organs and confirm the absence / presence of anomalies;
- with jaundice of newborns;
- with frequent burping. It is also necessary to check whether there are signs of pathology of the development of the brain;
- with poor weight gain;
- with liquid rapid stool, without signs of concomitant infection;
- with suspected pylorospasm or pyloric stenosis, the symptoms of which are identical.
But this is not a complete list of indications in which ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is prescribed to children. So, for older children, such a study is necessary when:
- stomach ache;
- a feeling of heaviness and tension in the right hypochondrium;
- bitterness in the mouth, sour belching, halitosis;
- jaundice;
- flatulence.
In addition, any abdominal injuries are a direct indication for ultrasound, if they are accompanied by pain, and it must be done as soon as possible.
Preparation for the procedure
Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity for children does not cause pain or severe discomfort, it is not scary. But it is necessary to prepare for it correctly and not to feed the child before the procedure:
- for newborns, the period of hunger is about 3 hours;
- for babies up to 3 years - 4 hours;
- Children older than 3 years should not eat at least 6 hours.
When breastfeeding, mother needs to abandon foods that cause gas formation in the intestines (legumes, raw fruits and vegetables, brown bread, kvass, various sweets, juices, pastry, milk, etc., as recommended by a doctor). Children under 3 years old should not eat fruit and vegetable purees, drink juices on the day of the study. But before ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, children who are more than 3 years old need more careful preparation. They must be put on a three-day diet that excludes gas-forming foods. On the day of the study, you can drink only plain water.
How and where do ultrasounds
If the local pediatrician sends you to an ultrasound, then you will most likely have it for free in the clinic. But if there is no equipment, specialists in the children's hospital, or you want to double-check the results, then you can find out where else you can make an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity of the child. The price of such a study practically does not differ from the cost of a similar procedure for adults, it depends in most cases on the clinic you have chosen. But note that only children's specialists should watch the kids. A doctor who specializes in adults will not be able to adequately assess the results of a baby’s diagnosis.
As a result of the study, a number of problems can be identified, such as:
- hepatitis (acute and chronic forms are visible);
- stones and clots in the gallbladder;
- cysts and neoplasms in the liver, stagnation in it;
- pathology of the spleen (increase, the appearance of additional lobes) or its injury, heart attack;
- peritonitis;
- signs of pancreatitis ;
- an increase in lymph nodes.
Do not underestimate the need for ultrasound of the abdominal cavity of the child. The decoding of the results must be announced to parents and transmitted to the pediatrician. The final diagnosis is already established by the pediatrician, while he may prescribe additional studies, recommend treatment or consult with other relevant specialists.