X-rays and plaster casts
How to read the stories

X-rays and plaster casts

X-ray: This is a type of photograph which can see the bones and air inside your body. The photograph is taken by a person called a radiographer. For some x-rays you will have to stand up, and for others you will have to sit or lie down. The radiographer will help you get in the right position and tell you what to do. When the photograph is taken you will be asked to keep very still or, if it is a picture of your chest, you may be asked to take a big breath in.

Plaster cast: A bandage for broken bones. It is floppy when it is put on but it soon gets hard. The hard plaster keeps somebody’s arm or leg still. The bones mend inside the plaster.

How to read the stories

There is no right or wrong way to read the stories.

Some people are not used to reading stories. Start at the beginning and read the story in each picture. Encourage the reader to move through the pages at their own pace.
Encourage the person to tell the story in their own words. You will discover what they think is happening, what they already know, and how they feel. If you are using the pictures to help explain a procedure to someone, you may need to describe or clarify the actions being shown in each picture to help them understand. Try not to challenge the reader(s) or suggest their ideas are wrong.
Some pictures may be more difficult to understand. It can help to prompt the people you are supporting, for example:
• Who do you think that is?
• What is happening?
• How is he or she feeling?
• Do you feel like that? Has it happened to you/ your friend/ your family?
Allow people enough time to follow the pictures at their own pace. Allow time for discussion of each picture.
Some people may benefit from reading the larger story from which the extract has been taken. This will allow them to explore their feelings and experiences in more depth. To buy the complete book, follow the link to the bookshop that appears at the end of the story.