neck xrays

[samanthajosmom_12]

what age is the down syndrome kids to get neck x rays done. i do belive it is every 2 yrs after the first one but i may be wrong. sue

[hannahph]

The health guidelines for Down syndrome recommend xrays between 3-5 years and then again for participation in special olympics or contact sports. I don't believe they need to be repeated every two years.

[andrewsmom]

I'm not sure on this one. Heather's info sounds accurate. Andrew had an MRI at 15 months and they did a neck x-ray right before that. They said all looked good with his neck and spine and we didn't need to do another one until he was old enough to participate in sports.
-Trisha

[momofrussell]

It's usually around 3-5 yrs. Some docs do it before age 3 but it can be less accurate. Russell didn't have his until he was 5 or 6 actually when we moved to MO for school and PE.

A.

[AnnieC]

Raven is 7 & we are getting hers down this week. These are her 1st ones.....we have just been putting it off because there really wasn't a need til now.

[wrblack]

Charlie had the cervical spine x-ray done at just over 2. Pediatrician knew that was too young for films to be diagnostic but wanted to check and get a baseline. Had repeat x-rays, needed for school, after he was 3. Cleared of AAI. Don't know of any need to repeat again right away, unless he gets into something with Special Olympics or takes up hippotherapy, trampolines, or skydiving. So far he only did some play group stuff in some joint Special Olympics, Gymboree program. We've got him signed up for Miracle League baseball, supposed to start sometime next month.
But here are some links that may not sort out all of this for you but may alert you to some of the issues:

www.ds-health.com/aai.htm

www.ds-health.com/abst/a0001.htm

and footnote 3 from Health Guidelines flowchart, www.ds-health.com/recordsheet1.htm
"3Cervical spine x-rays: flexion, neutral and extension, between 3-5 years of age. Repeat as needed for Special Olympics participation. Neurological examination at each visit. "
-- Bob

[Jessie]

On the ds-health.com/aai site, #3 specifically states that the child does not need repeat x-rays if they have previously had normal ones.

Well, I must say that either our school or our local 4H group doesn't go by these recommendations. We have to get Jason a new x-ray each year when he participates in the horse therapy that 4H provides at his school.

We had the x-ray done in the spring of 2004 and thought we were good to go (he had had ones done previously, but we didn't have the records here in Michigan). His annual physical was in the fall of 2004 and we didn't even think about getting another x-ray done at the time. Spring 2005 rolls around and it's time for horse therapy and they want another x-ray. Of course, we found out like the day before he was to start that we had to get a new one each year. We couldn't get him into his regular doctor so we took him to urgent care - our insurance company does not pay for routine physicals through urgent care (obviously), so we paid for it out of pocket. Now THAT ticked me off!!!!! We just felt it was so unnecessary to have another x-ray done at his age and with no history of any problems.

Oh well, this year I know and will be more prepared . . .


Jessie

[Chester]

JT had his first done at 2 years old. It was traumatic for him. The x-rays were inconclusive, so it was recommended we try again at 3 years old. The Dr. remembered how JT didn't appreciate the big camera and not being able to move and said we'd wait until 4 and see if he's ready then.

We're just extra careful with "neck" type activities for now.

[Staci]

Aidan just had his, he's almost 5. I think the recommended is age 3...and then I was told every 5 years after. It was very traumatic for him, as well. He didn't understand what was going on and they need so many different angles. But we made it through! His came out clean.

Staci

[samanthajosmom_12]

samantha jo just had her neck xrays done this past thrusday and everything is allright. sue

[YoshsMom]

Yosh had his done before he started hippotherapy. He was so strong and squirmy he had to be wrapped from shoulders to feet in a sheet, which he thought was hilarious. I keep remembering people telling me my child would have weak, floppy muscles, yet I can barely hold him still for anything he doesn't like.

[lauraryan10]

Hayden had his done at 2 and it was a nightmare. The recommendations are for 3 to 5 years. They thought they saw some instability on Hayden's x-rays and we had to have a CT scan and see 2 nerosurgeons. Turns out that they should have waited to do the x-ray til he was older. The neurosurgeon told us that he usually recommends 5 years oldunless they are having symptoms of neck pain.
Laura