What to expect when you come to our clinic

What to Expect When You Come to Our Clinic

This is a typical visit when you come for an appointment with the Genetics Unit at the hospital clinic.

Before coming:

You should normally arrive around 8:30 AM. If you need to arrive earlier, we will call you to make sure you can and to tell you where to go.
If you had x-rays recently before coming to the clinic for your appointment, try to bring them with you if you can.
You must be fasting, this means that you cannot eat or drink anything except water after midnight, because we will normally collect some blood with a needle.
We will also collect your 2nd urine in the morning. This means that, when you get up in the morning, you can go to the bathroom and pee. But you can't go after that before getting to the hospital, because we will need to collect your urine the next time you want to go.

Upon arrival:

You come in the hospital through the clinic entrance on the left.
You need to register with the admission's desk to say that you are here. The admission's desk is immediately in front of you, on the other side of the waiting room.

Clinical examination:

When you are called, you will go to one of the Genetics Unit examination rooms so a doctor can ask you questions, and examine you.
The doctor or the nurse will measure your height and your weight, and will ask you many questions and examine you, just like when you go to your regular doctor at home.
It is important you tell the truth to your doctor and that you be as precise as possible when you explain a problem.

Typical exams to expect:

Blood test:

A nurse will take some blood with a small needle during the morning, as soon as possible. It should not be painful.
This blood test will make sure your body works and grows normally.

Urine test:

X-rays:

During the morning, you will have some x-rays.
The technicians will take you to a small room and ask you to change into a hospital gown.
Then, they will take pictures of your bones to see if they are growing well and if you have new fractures.

Bone density:

While you are having x-rays, you will also have bone density measurements.
This is another kind of x-ray to see how thick your bones are.
You will be lying down on a couch and a scanner (like a camera) will pass over you.
This is totally painless.