Ultrasound Scan For Your Child

Symptoms | Treatments

What is

What is - Ultrasound Scan For Your Child

An ultrasound scan is a safe and painless procedure that uses high-pitched sound waves to scan the body's internal structure. The sounds are then converted to images on a monitor, which the doctor will examine for anything unusual. A jellylike substance will be applied to the part of the body to be examined.

It will be helpful to explain the ultrasound procedure to your child and to emphasise the importance of keeping still during the scan.

Would I need to admit my child as an inpatient to the hospital for the scan?

Ultrasound scans are done on an outpatient basis, so your child does not have to be admitted to hospital. However, please let the ward staff know if your child is hospitalised on the appointment day for the scan, so that they can inform our department accordingly.

Will my child be awake throughout the procedure?

Yes. Sedation is rarely needed.

Who will perform the scan?

A sonographer (a specially trained health care professional) or radiologist (a doctor specialising in radiology) will perform the scan.

Who will prepare the report after ultrasound scan?

Our radiologist will prepare the report of ultrasound scan. In certain cases we may need to call you back if our radiologist requires additional images.

When the scan report is ready, your doctor will review the report online, together with the results of other tests that you may have done. Your doctor will then discuss the findings with you.

When will I know the results?

If your child’s appointment with the doctor in the clinic is on the same day as the scan, the report will be ready in about 1.5 hours after the scan ends.

If the medical appointment is on a different day, the doctor will discuss the results with you then. If there are urgent concerns, the medical team will contact you to schedule an early review.

Preparation for ultrasound:

For a successful scan, please follow the instructions listed below.

For
US Abdomen
US Hepatobiliary, Paediatric
US Doppler, Renal Arteries
US Doppler, Renal Veins
US Doppler, Abdominal, Paediatric
- Fully milk-fed babies should skip one feed.
- Older children should not eat for at least four hours before the scan.
- Your child should only consume water or clear juices before the scan. Clear juices would include grape, apple, or any drink that you can see through. There is no limit to how much fluid is consumed.
- You should avoid juices that contain pulp, such as aloe vera, or drinks that contain milk, such as Milo.
For
US Kidneys
US Kidneys and Bladder
Toilet-trained children should not empty their bladder just before the scan.
For
US Pelvis
Toilet-trained child must have a full bladder. Your child should drink 1 cup of water (about 200 ml) 1 hour before the scan; another cup 45 minutes before the scan; and a third cup 30 minutes before the scan.

There is no special preparation for other paediatric ultrasound scans.

As the visit may take a few hours, please bring along a book or toy for your child, and if it’s a baby, his/her milk feed.

Special note:
US Spine and US Hip are not recommended for infants 6 months and above.