Your Child's Comfort Comes First: Guiding Pediatric Patients through Imaging

Children in Radiology 

Your child has been referred for imaging. What happens next? At Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian (WCINYP), we offer expert pediatric imaging at all eight of our locations. For some pediatric imaging procedures, sedation might be necessary to ensure your child remains still and calm throughout their exam. However, at WCINYP, we are committed to providing complete pediatric imaging services without sedation when possible. Our team of skilled professionals utilizes child-friendly techniques and advanced imaging technologies to ensure accurate results while prioritizing your child’s comfort and safety. We know that medical imaging can feel overwhelming so we’re here to support you every step of the way. 

To support you and your child, we provide the help of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS). These caring professionals are trained in child development and can offer support during any of our imaging exams, including MRI, CT, PET-CT, Ultrasound, and X-ray.  

Child Life Specialists are here to guide your family through imaging appointments and help you navigate coping with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, and disability. Kayla Pozzuto and Rachel Cavaliere are our resident Child Life Specialists at WCINYP (as pictured above). They work with families, our nurses and our technologists to ensure a seamless experience. Their goal is to reduce anxiety, eliminate misconceptions, and minimize the need for sedation all while promoting positive associations with the medical environment.  

Newborns and Infants 

Our strategy for newborns and infants is multifaceted. One technique we use is called “feed and swaddle.” Our Child Life Specialists work with parents to better understand their baby’s eating and sleeping schedule. Such information allows for the baby’s routine to be replicated to help them remain still for exam allowing for a higher likelihood of obtaining quality images.  

Our CCLS recommends one key intervention in the baby's normal routine on the day of the imaging appointment: parents should skip the baby's last feed and last nap before the appointment.  Upon arrival on the day of the exam, parents will consult with our team to determine the best time to feed the baby. We recognize that each baby is unique. Therefore, collaborative discussions between the CCLS and parents will help create a personalized experience to ensure the success of the imaging procedure. 

MRI-am-a-Hero! Program 

To minimize the need for sedation during imaging exams, our MRI-am-a-Hero! program was created at Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian (WCINYP) under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Robert J. Min, President and CEO of the Weill Cornell Medicine Physician Organization and President of Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian. Our Child Life Specialists lead this program, which caters to pediatric patients of all ages, customizing their support to meet individual needs. The program combines various techniques to create an enjoyable imaging experience for your family and aims to eliminate the need for sedation during imaging procedures. Many families hope to avoid sedation as it can have adverse medical side effects for children. 

The MRI-am-a-Hero! Program encompasses developmentally appropriate education, visual aids, procedural preparation, and familiarization of the medical environment to support patients and their families. An example includes a Mini Mock MRI, as seen in the photo above, that can make the large machine more tangible to children. It includes an interactive pull-out table that they will be laying on, as well as emulating the sounds of an MRI machine. During their scan, the machine can be loud but through this model exposure, we empower children to be prepared for the sound to occur. Furthermore, each family participating in this program will be sent our MRI-am-a-Hero educational video and have the option to replace a traditional hospital gown with a superhero shirt and cape. Once the exam is complete children get to arrive home with a Marvel Comics plush toy as a sign of accomplishment.  

CinemaVision 

Another valuable visual aid we have is a system called CinemaVision, it gives patients the opportunity to watch a movie during their MRI. Patients are given headphones and goggles with a screen inside to view a movie of their choice. This system is especially helpful for kids who may be claustrophobic, have exams with notably long scan times, or would generally benefit from visual distraction.  

This system is only available on select MRI machines and is not compatible with every type of exam. If you feel your child would benefit from the use of CinemaVision goggles, please state this request during scheduling. 

Schedule Your Child’s Exam with Us Today 

Choosing the right place for your child’s medical imaging is crucial.  By integrating our comprehensive services with the compassionate care of our Child Life Specialists, we are boosting confidence and introducing coping tools applicable both in and out of the healthcare setting. The sharing of honest, accurate, age-appropriate information can help to reduce anxiety, build trust and support the growth of coping skills all while reducing the need for sedation.  

If your child has an upcoming appointment at one of our 8 locations and you wish to speak to a Child Life Specialist, please contact our patient access center at 212-746-6000.