Last week was a challenging week for me. My daughter was sick with a horrific bug. It has been a while since I have seen her so miserable. I was really alarmed. As a Health Coach and an inspiring herbalist, I pulled out all the stops. But all my "go to potions" were no match for this particular illness. So I turned to my Pediatrician of 17 years for some help. What I encountered was nothing short of totally laziness and lack of compassion. It made me realize it's time to DIVORCE my pediatrician.
But I don't want to complain about how we were let down. Or how the practice that my three children went to for more than a decade has caved to the our horrible health care system. I want to write about how we as parents need to trust our intuition when it comes to our kids. I realized last week that parents have lost all CREDITBILITY with "the system". My explanation that my daughter, not normally a complainer and recently sick with Lyme disease, needed a little help for her immune system fell on deaf ears. The same line just kept being repeated to me "Give her Advil and treat her symptoms". It came from 3 different doctors. Like they memorized it from a pamphlet. My observation and experience with my daughter meant nothing. That was scary! The guidelines from the American Association of Pediatrics took precedence over my experience.
We know our children. Whether they are 1or 17 years old, we are familiar with what is normal. Parents need to trust our intuition when it comes to our child's wellness. If a doctor is telling you something that sits uneasy with you, it's time to pick up your child and move on. No matter how hard it is! Knowing when to LEAVE your pediatrician is vital. We have choices and doctors only know what they know. In our case, they only know ADVIL. (Just this week the CDC put out another warning about the use of Ibuprofen negatively affecting the heart and liver). Parents need to take back our role in the medical decisions of our children. We need to be firm with doctors. And if they are not on the same page as you are then FIRE them.
I ended up going some place else. I was pleasantly surprised at the comprehensive approach this other doctor had laid out. I felt like she listened to us, examined my daughter and then made a plan. She just met me but she was totally present and listened. Something the practice we have been with for almost 17 years did not do.
There is hope for our healthcare system. I believe as parents we can really play a role. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion. Keep listening to your gut. And most of all, if the doctor doesn't listen and respect your concerns, get a DIVORCE! The good news is you get to keep the kids....no matter what!
