What precautions should be considered for pediatric patients undergoing fluoroscopy?

Minimizing radiation exposure and ensuring comfort for pediatric patients is essential during fluoroscopy procedures. Children are particularly sensitive to radiation, which can result in long-term health risks, including an increased chance of developing cancer later in life. Therefore, protocols and techniques should be employed to keep their exposure to the lowest possible levels while still achieving the required diagnostic quality of the images.

Ensuring comfort is also crucial as pediatric patients may experience anxiety or distress during medical procedures. By creating a supportive environment and using strategies to reassure and comfort the child, healthcare providers can help reduce anxiety, improve cooperation, and yield better imaging outcomes.

The other options presented do not align with safe and effective practices in pediatric care. Increased radiation exposure compromises patient safety and is not justified for improved image quality. Excluding parents from the imaging room could exacerbate a child's fear and discomfort, while allowing unrestricted movement can lead to poor-quality images and potentially repeated exposures. Thus, the focus should always be on minimizing radiation dose and maximizing patient comfort.