Challenges encountered by diagnostic radiography students and radiographers in paediatric general radiography: A...

Paediatric radiography is a specialised area of imaging focused on children, requiring unique knowledge, skills, and approaches distinct from those of adult imaging. Diagnostic radiography students and radiographers face challenges, including managing patient anxiety, ensuring cooperation, communicating effectively, managing children with special needs, and handling cases of non-accidental injury (NAI). Therefore, the aim of this review was to explore the challenges diagnostic radiography students and radiographers encounter in paediatric general radiography, with the intention of identifying key areas for improvement in education, resources, and clinical practice.

A literature search was conducted between July and September 2025 using PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and hand searches of key radiography journals and cited references using Google. Inclusion criteria comprised primary research studies published in English after 2000 that focused on or included paediatric general radiography. Twenty research studies were identified from diverse healthcare contexts. Data were extracted using a standardised form and thematically analysed.

Analysis identified five major themes of challenges: (1) education and training deficits, including insufficient undergraduate preparation and limited continuing professional development (CPDs); (2) inadequate dedicated imaging equipment and resources, particularly in resource-limited settings; (3) difficulties in communication and interaction with children and carers, especially with children with special needs and in NAI cases; (4) workload pressures and limited peer or institutional support; and (5) stress and emotional demands associated with paediatric practice. These challenges were interrelated and affected the quality and efficiency of paediatric general radiography services.

This review underscores that the challenges in paediatric general radiography are multifaceted and systemic. Addressing educational gaps and students' clinical exposure to paediatric patients, improving access to dedicated equipment, strengthening communication strategies, and implementing support systems are critical to optimising practice. Given that the reviewed studies were limited to single-country contexts, future research should investigate paediatric radiography practices across multiple international settings.

Imaging children needs different skills than imaging adults, and it can be challenging for students and staff. This review looked at published studies to understand the main difficulties faced by radiography students and radiographers when taking X-ray images of children. This study found gaps in training, limited child-specific equipment, communication difficulties with children and carers, heavy workloads, and emotional stress that can affect care. This matters because addressing these challenges can help improve education, working conditions, and the quality of imaging care for children and families.