Kids are scared of x-ray rooms, plain and simple. Having been an x-ray technologist for many years prior to having my own children, it still surprises me just how nervous children get around any environment that even subtly looks like a hospital.
Some kids will think their x-ray experience is pretty darn cool -it’s not every day that you get to see inside your own body, yet even the bravest enter their imaging exam with some level of fear and anxiety.
Some tactics that I have used with my own children as well as others are geared towards putting them in the driver seat and not only educating them that x-rays don’t hurt, but also to help them know the worst of what to expect (you have to hold still when they tell you) and build their comfort level as an x-ray expert.
Practice being a patient.
The more your child understands what to expect, the better they will be at helping. Practice having them hold their breath when asked, play freeze dance to get them used to holding still on command, and practice building trust by touching their arms or legs to position them for a pretend x-ray using pillows to prop them up.