How to Push Back When Your Doctor Insists There's Nothing Wrong With Your Kid
Mom Claire Kennedy knew something was wrong with her toddler Ayaan Hussain. Ayaan, who was almost 2 years old, had started vomiting in October 2014 and struggled with his balance. That November and December, Kennedy, who lives in the U.K., tried multiple times to get medical help for her toddler, but was brushed off by doctors, who said he likely had a stomach bug or was lactose intolerant.
Kennedy pleaded for more testing to find out what was causing her toddler’s illness, but was told by one doctor: “I cannot possibly arrange a test for every poorly child who comes through this waiting room.”
Ten days later, Ayaan went into respiratory arrest and was rushed to the hospital. “It was terrifying, I didn’t know what to do,” Kennedy told the Huffington Post U.K. “His little body was rigid. I could tell his heart was racing.”
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A brain scan at the hospital showed Ayaan had a brain tumor. He was taken in for emergency surgery, but it was unsuccessful. Ayaan died from brain swelling the next day in his mother’s arms. According to the Huffington Post, an investigation shows the toddler would have had a 40 to 80% chance of survival for up to five years if his tumor had been detected at an earlier stage.
Kennedy added: “I had been forced to nurse my own son in the final days of his life without any medical help.”
It’s a parent’s worst nightmare, but Dafna Ahdoot, M.D., a pediatrician with Tarzana Pediatric Medical Group in California, says there are things parents can do if their child is having a medical problem and isn’t getting proper care. First and foremost, go with your instincts. “You should always trust your gut feelings — mothers know best when something is wrong with their child,” Ahdoot tells Yahoo Parenting.
If you feel strongly that your child isn’t getting the medical help he or she needs, don’t give up. “You have to push and push the doctor, and say these are the things you want done, whether it’s blood tests or brain imaging,” says Ahdoot. “Be adamant.”
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She adds: “You have to be very straight-forward and keep calling the office to make appointments. Say, ‘Look, I’m really upset and concerned. I don’t want to be walking out the office door again. I need these things done for my child.”
If you’re still not satisfied with the care you’re getting from your child’s pediatrician, Ahdoot recommends moving on to another doctor right away or at least getting a second opinion. It’s worth it.
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(Photo of Ayaan Hussain: SWNS)
