Paediatric
ultrasound scans can help diagnose problems in children that we can
then treat with relative ease, if detected early.
These
are the paediatric scans we can provide at Richmond Practice:
Ultrasound
screening for congenital dislocation of the hip
Hip
screens undertaken in the first weeks of life, for example, help us
diagnose developmental dysplasia. This condition ranges from complete
dislocation of the hip through to some shallowness of the hip joint
socket. It is a condition that, if left untreated, leads to a
physical disability in the child's hips and back. Hip dysplasia
affects approximately 1 in 1,000 babies and a hip ultrasound reliably
detects the problem. When found early, giving the child a harness to
wear will correct hip dysplasia. A later diagnosis usually requires
surgery.
Ultrasound
screening for congenital anomalies of the kidney
In
newborns, kidney malformations leading to problems with the flow of
urine do not usually cause any symptoms. However, over time, an
incorrect flow of urine can cause severe damage to the kidneys. About
1 in 100 children will have an anomaly of their kidneys for which
they may
require
treatment.
Ultrasound
screening of the abdomen
Abdominal
ultrasound in children is very helpful in cases of acute abdominal
pain. We use it to detect:
- Intestinal
intussusceptions ~ a serious condition amounting to an entanglement
of the intestines.
- Appendicitis
~ young children with appendicitis often have early perforations
that can be difficult to diagnose clinically without ultrasound.
- Acute
pancreatitis ~ rare in children, but often missed.
- Chronic
abdominal pain ~ in cases where children have chronic abdominal pain
ultrasound can help to rule out a tumour.
- Gallstones
and kidney stones ~ seen in older children.
- Excessive
growth in girls ~ the only way to assess ovaries is with ultrasound.
|
![[spacer]](images/dot.png){kind=small}
Roseneath