The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. There is no discomfort. The film plate may feel cold. There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image.
Most experts feel that the risk is very low compared with the benefits.
Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of the X-ray . The test is also used when tuberculosis , lung cancer , or other chest or lung disease is suspected. The X-ray will show normal structures for the age of the patient. There is a general agreement that routine chest X-rays should not be done on healthy people for screening purposes. There is little benefit of a chest X-ray in screening smokers who have no symptoms.