On the French way of life for kids...

anna7602

Ok, I actually have no idea if this is common or not, buuuut I found it really strange that DD's new pediatrician ordered a lung x-ray for what turned out to be a standard cold. And that he ordered antibiotics for her as well. These are two firsts for us, and DD is 3.5.

I spent all last night panicking and frantically reading about pneumonia on line, then I got to the radiology clinic today and the waiting room was full to the brim with runny-nosed, coughing kids. A quick convo with one friend here revealed that it's pretty standard at the height of flu season to send sick kids for xrays and prescribe antibiotics.

I don't plan to write a book about this difference in the "French" way of raising kids, but I did feel like I needed to share it with someone.

ETA: DD's xray revealed her lungs were completely normal.

3003girl

Very odd. But glad your kiddo's lungs checked out fine!  

tokenhoser

Consider just declining the x-ray in the future if you don't really think anything is wrong. Radiation is a lifetime dose thing, and I don't like throwing it in just because a doctor thinks it's fun (or more likely, an easy way to make a buck). The times I had pneumonia as a kid, it was pretty apparent that something was wrong.

And good grief to the antibiotics. 

anna7602

tokenhoser:

Consider just declining the x-ray in the future if you don't really think anything is wrong. Radiation is a lifetime dose thing, and I don't like throwing it in just because a doctor thinks it's fun (or more likely, an easy way to make a buck). The times I had pneumonia as a kid, it was pretty apparent that something was wrong.

And good grief to the antibiotics. 

I know. I should have trusted my mommy instinct on this one. But since I didn't know if it was a standard thing or if the doctor (whom I really couldn't "read," since it was the first time we were seeing him) had real reasons to be concerned, I went along with the xray and antibiotics. You live and you learn.

tokenhoser

anna7602:

tokenhoser:

Consider just declining the x-ray in the future if you don't really think anything is wrong. Radiation is a lifetime dose thing, and I don't like throwing it in just because a doctor thinks it's fun (or more likely, an easy way to make a buck). The times I had pneumonia as a kid, it was pretty apparent that something was wrong.

And good grief to the antibiotics. 

I know. I should have trusted my mommy instinct on this one. But since I didn't know if it was a standard thing or if the doctor (whom I really couldn't "read," since it was the first time we were seeing him) had real reasons to be concerned, I went along with the xray and antibiotics. You live and you learn.

Oh, for sure. I didn't mean it as a "you did what?!", just as a "those doctors be crazy!".

SERuppert

This actually really surprises me because, when I lived in Italy, our doctors were always very hesitant to prescribe anything. In five years there, I think I had a chest x-ray once for a very bad, gunky cough that there was a real foncern might be pneumonia as it had been going around my school and Florence at the time (turned out to be dairy allergy). I will say that they drew blood for absolutely everything.

anna7602

SERuppert:

I think I had a chest x-ray once for a very bad, gunky cough that there was a real foncern might be pneumonia as it had been going around my school and Florence at the time (turned out to be dairy allergy).

Ack! See my milk allergy question above. Everything comes full circle.

I can't speak for the whole country, or even the whole city, but the consensus among DH's co-workers (mix of French and non-French) is that French doctors prescribe antibiotics for everything, adults and children alike.

The opinions on the chest xray are divided. Some say it's totally normal, some say I should find a more up-to-date pedi. I am going the find-a-new-pedi route.

LouiseB2001

I'm surprised they are so quick to prescribe antibiotics. Here in Sweden when DD had a light ear infection a couple of months ago, he said I didn't have to give them. He gave me a prescription but said he thought I should only give it to her if she got worse. She was better the next day and I never had to get the antibiotics. I also have had bad reactions myself to that in the past so I am *very* hesitant to give DD antibiotics.

Tonya_G

Isn't there also a higher risk of TB in Europe? Perhaps that's why they were overly cautious?