WWYD - situation with pedi (long)

JDWNYC · March 2011

About 2 1/2 weeks ago DS got what seemed like a run-of-the-mill cold, that then blossomed into something nasty. A few days in to it, I took him to the pedi bc one am his bed had clearly been thrown up in over night, and then he woke from his first nap throwing up. He had a fever and cold symptoms, with a nasty sounding cough so I wanted his lungs listened to, and the throwing up didn't seem like just a cold. They said it was just a cold. The next morning he woke with a blazing fever and he didn't eat dinner the night before and wanted nothing to do with either liquid or solid breakfast. Didn't even want tylenol/motrin, which he usually takes w/no problem. Went back to the pedi and they said still just a cold. Fever continued with no break and he continued not to eat or drink all the next day. The day after that we called again, worried about dehydration and the fact that it had been days since he last ate anything notable, he was throwing up at least once a day, and on day 3 actually was only awake 5 hours all day, 3 1/2 of which he was crying and miserable. He got a rash on day 4 after the first visit to the dr, they said it may be roseola, but then backtracked on that after the fever continued post-rash (which reappeared nightly for 3 days). They told us there was nothing they could/would do, and that as long as he had some pee every 8 hours it was not a problem that he wasn't taking anything in. He got so dehydrated his lips began to crack and bleed. His morning diapers were like a normal 2-3 hour day diaper when he is healthy. He ended up having a 102.5+ fever for 5 days and then 3 more days at over 101. He basically didn't eat or drink for 6 days and his sleep was all kinds of effed up. He threw up almost daily for 9 days. We are now at like 15 days since this all began, and while he is much much better his nose is still running and producing mucho mucus, and he is still coughing.

I think our pedi sucks and I think we should change docs/practices. What would you have done? Would you switch doctors over something like this? Would you tell them you were considering leaving and see how they respond? I talked to them at least every other day during all of this and I feel like they didn't take it seriously, and my kid did NOT have just a cold and they didn't do sh*t to find out what it was or help us make him more comfortable. Just curious for more views on this.

rnfromtn · March 2011

Personally, when his signs of being so dehydrated were evident I would have gone over the doctor and taken him either to urgent care or ER. The only time DS has been sick, that is what my MD office recommended if he became obviously dehydrated after normal office hours. And yes, I would probably look into switching doctors. A child with a fever that does not react to Tylenol isn't a good thing and should be looked into.

jhelly77 · March 2011

If you don't feel comfortable with your pedi, then change. It obviously wasn't a 'cold' but still sounds like could have all been a viral syndrome and no other treatment was required. Maybe if they explained things better, listened to you better, took more time etc, you wouldn't have come away feeling so mistreated. Bottom line is I would switch if I didn't feel comfortable because that's the most important thing for a successful doc-patient relationship.

JM1226 · March 2011

Go with what you feel is right....if its looking for a new pedi for the best care for your LO than start looking. I would definitely be very upset and maybe taken him to the ER...for at least another opinion as well. Its never that good for a fever to last that long. and it does seem like was dehydrated. I think you live in CT....where abouts? maybe I can rec a new practice.

angelproberts · March 2011

I would definitely switch doctors. I know I definitely want someone that listens to and addresses my concerns. My pedi is great about that and there is even a 24-hour nurse line that we can call.

Do you have that type of service there. It's wonderful thing. You have to trust your gut.

JDWNYC · March 2011

We're in Fairfield County. I would consider new drs in Norwalk, Darien, North Stamford, and New Canaan. Ideally someone that can see DC2 when born at Greenwich in May, but I think we may go to the only practice in our area that can do that so I'll have to deal with that when it comes.

dinnerfor2 · March 2011

jhelly77:
If you don't feel comfortable with your pedi, then change. It obviously wasn't a 'cold' but still sounds like could have all been a viral syndrome and no other treatment was required. Maybe if they explained things better, listened to you better, took more time etc, you wouldn't have come away feeling so mistreated. Bottom line is I would switch if I didn't feel comfortable because that's the most important thing for a successful doc-patient relationship.

This. Sounds like something viral; I don't think you would have had different treatment from another pedi as far as the illness goes. However, it sounds like you could find someone else who you understand better and understands you better as well. Hope LO is feeling better!

JM1226 · March 2011

JDWNYC:

We're in Fairfield County. I would consider new drs in Norwalk, Darien, North Stamford, and New Canaan. Ideally someone that can see DC2 when born at Greenwich in May, but I think we may go to the only practice in our area that can do that so I'll have to deal with that when it comes.

I know a few people that live in Greenwich...I can ask them who they use. I used to live in Trumbull but now live in Middlebury but I know of another group thats in Trumbull with other locations but not near those towns.

sasa625 · March 2011

I love our pedi and one of the major reasons is that he listens to us and always acknowledges our concerns, even if he doesn't fully agree with them. If we had called with those symptoms, we would have been in there within a couple of hours, and we would have left with a plan (even if it was just to keep an eye on things and keep her hydrated)

You need to be comfortable with and trust your pedi. It sounds like you may need to look for someone else... a big part of their job is to reassure us mommies and make us feel better when we're in a panic over our LOs sicknesses!!

SailorGray · March 2011

sasa625:

I love our pedi and one of the major reasons is that he listens to us and always acknowledges our concerns, even if he doesn't fully agree with them. If we had called with those symptoms, we would have been in there within a couple of hours, and we would have left with a plan (even if it was just to keep an eye on things and keep her hydrated)

You need to be comfortable with and trust your pedi. It sounds like you may need to look for someone else... a big part of their job is to reassure us mommies and make us feel better when we're in a panic over our LOs sicknesses!!

Exactly this. You need to trust your pedi and you need to know you can rely on them. There are excellent pedis out there. If I were you, I'd find one.

SeaStar430 · March 2011

All of your other issues aside, I would switch pedis if I was even sort of concerned about them, never mind if I thought they sucked. Why would you stay with a doctor for your child that you don't like or trust? You're not married to them, find someone else.

HuneyofJeremy · March 2011

I would switch. If you do not feel comfortable with them and think they are not addressing your concerns, which a dehydrated baby, I would not take lightly. I would not care if the new pedi saw my 2nd child at the hospital. A pediatrician will. My pediatricians do not practice at the hospital I delivered at and we just had a hospital pedi look at them and then took them in at when they were 5 days.

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