Question
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: After having been exposed to X-rays three times, I have experienced vomiting and have been feeling unwell, often suffering from recurrent colds. I would like to ask the expert if this is the cause! What are the specific potential hazards of radiation to children? Does it affect intelligence? How can these risks be mitigated?
Answer
Electromagnetic radiation in everyday life is ubiquitous and generally poses no significant problems. However, prolonged exposure within a high radiation range can definitely affect our health, not just for children but for adults as well. Medical radiation is primarily used for treating or diagnosing certain diseases. I don’t know if the child had a chest X-ray, but if it was only a single occurrence, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the child. As mentioned before, long-term exposure within a high radiation range can increase the likelihood of developing cancer. Cancer is something we are all familiar with; it can also alter the molecular properties within a child’s body, such as epithelial cells, fat cells, etc. Some studies have shown that if one lives near high-voltage areas like power plants for a long time, the incidence of cancer cells can be higher than in the general population.