Blueridge Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 This is just my opinion, but I sure worry for this family. My dh works with a man who has 2 young (4 and 6) children. His wife is always asking her dh to take them to the doctor for something...like every few weeks, all year long. Tons of antibiotics and a strange new diagnosis every time. Like the time they took the son to a child psychologist because he was 'bragging' about using the potty in public. Or the next time when they insisted that he had something wrong because he wasn't reading, so they took him back for autism testing. The latest go-round of illness was today. The co-worker called to say he would be in at noon, (this is nothing new ;)), after their son's doctor appointment. He comes back with this report: According to the doctor, since the child (4) is wetting his bed once a week, and having ear infections, he must be suffering from sleep apnea. Therefore, he is going to remove his (uninfected) tonsils so that he can sleep uninterrupted. :confused: This diagnosis may be common, I really don't know, but the parents never question, never investigate. The poor baby. Just makes me feel sad because it seems like they are wanting to find things wrong with him. The older sister, normally *at the top* of her 1st grade class ;), failed her spelling test last week, and they are taking her in for autism testing later this week. Strange. I worry about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylk in tx Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 munchausen symdrome by proxy?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 munchausen symdrome by proxy?? That's exactly what I told my dh on our call today. It is just so sadly strange. Why are the doctors encouraging it all? (my opinion :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylk in tx Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 are they going to a bunch of different doctors? they may not be telling each new doctor or specialist what the child's history is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Do you ever worry about some parents? When I begin to worry about someone else's family, I try to remember that I only know a small fraction of the story. It keeps me from making assumptions about their capabilities and choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy_Me Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 munchausen symdrome by proxy?? This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Whatever it is, MOM and DAD are the ones that should be seeing a dr.! :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 He comes back with this report: According to the doctor, since the child (4) is wetting his bed once a week, and having ear infections, he must be suffering from sleep apnea. Therefore, he is going to remove his (uninfected) tonsils so that he can sleep uninterrupted. :confused: That was the diagnosis for my 4 year old who wakes up wet every morning. Plus, she snores. Her ped referred us to the local Children's Hospital, though, and after seeing an ENT and then the Pulmonologist (who looked at me as if I were nuts for coming in with this minor complaint and I kept saying, "It was my pediatrician, it wa my pediatrician") who wanted to do a sleep study. I canceled the sleep study. Anyhow, my point is...;) they were very slow to recommend a tonsilectomy. Actually, the ped wanted to remove her adenoids, but... she's fine otherwise. I said, "no". That's crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dominion Heather Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Yes, this. I was called hysterical and obsessive and a hypochondriac by our (former) pediatrician. I took ds in over and over again knowing something was wrong, though I had no idea what other than I thought he couldn't see well. And then we found out that I was correct. Ds was blind (cataracts) and the delay in the diagnosis, caused by the ped. not taking me seriously, resulted in brain damage to my son. He COULD have had nearly perfect vision if they had listened to me the first time I took him in to the ped. So, no. I think if a parent thinks that something is wrong, they need to pursue a diagnosis, no matter what that means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Yes, this. I was called hysterical and obsessive and a hypochondriac by our (former) pediatrician. I took ds in over and over again knowing something was wrong, though I had no idea what other than I thought he couldn't see well. And then we found out that I was correct. Ds was blind (cataracts) and the delay in the diagnosis, caused by the ped. not taking me seriously, resulted in brain damage to my son. He COULD have had nearly perfect vision if they had listened to me the first time I took him in to the ped. So, no. I think if a parent thinks that something is wrong, they need to pursue a diagnosis, no matter what that means. :grouphug: I am so sorry. That is just terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 I used to have a friend like this. I worried constantly about her kids b/c there was always something wrong with them and they were always on antibiotics. The opening in every conversation I had with her was about how either herself or her girls were at the Dr. and on a new medication. Her parenting practices scared me. She also gave them Benadryl every night because she didn't want to impose a bedtime on them. They'd eventually fall asleep somewhere, on the floor usually, and she'd carry them to bed. It was disturbing to me to say the least. I finally decided I had to distance myself from her b/c it bothered me so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 I used to have a friend like this. I worried constantly about her kids b/c there was always something wrong with them and they were always on antibiotics... Yes, that's what it seems like. They are always on antibiotics. The mom and dad are always going to the same doctor, too. Last week the man was taking otc medications in addition to the prescriptions he had been given, PLUS he was taking some of his wife's medications, too! Frightening. It's like a competition to see who is the sickest...but the children are the ones who are paying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Yes, that's what it seems like. They are always on antibiotics. The mom and dad are always going to the same doctor, too. Last week the man was taking otc medications in addition to the prescriptions he had been given, PLUS he was taking some of his wife's medications, too! Frightening. It's like a competition to see who is the sickest...but the children are the ones who are paying. Sounds like people who want to get high but want it blessed by a white coat, so it isn't getting high, but being "sick." :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 I She also gave them Benadryl every night because she didn't want to impose a bedtime on them. They'd eventually fall asleep somewhere, on the floor usually, and she'd carry them to bed. This is awful!! :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpence1978 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Therefore, he is going to remove his (uninfected) tonsils so that he can sleep uninterrupted. Actually my DS did have his tonsils and adenoids out for this reason. But he wasn't wetting the bed. He was displaying sleep apnea (snoring with long pauses) and also his tonsils were HUGE. Even then, we put off the surgery for a short bit while we tried other methods. The story of these children is very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 We shake our heads a lot at other folks who do things completely the opposite of the way we would do them. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.