Be Your Child’s Advocate

When we first become a new parent we are most likely at the hospital. We need to eat , sleep and bath there for days and so does our new baby. We build this huge trust in the medical field to help us keep our baby safe and well. We are sent home with little instructions and we have so much fear! Fear is healthy sometimes. It keeps us safe. It keeps our babies safe. First time parents are unique.

This is common knowledge amongst the medical field. Drs can and do make quick judgment too based on your experience as a parent just like your experiences in your job affect your position and pay. Drs will treat a new mom as if she is wining about a sliver because in fact sometimes our worries are just wining. To be fair you really don’t need to be a new parent to get this treatment from a Dr. Some Drs assume we are oblivious and others respect our opinions and take note of what is actually going on when we describe our child’s issues. I have switched physicians while being a mom because I felt my children were not getting the care they deserve and I never regretted it because the moment my children seen our new physician they were treated promptly and of course my instincts were right. They were both in need for a specialist. One a neurologist and another an allergist . Don’t ever ignore your gut feeling when a physician tells you over and over that your child is ok because sometimes you DO need a second opinion. When you take your child to the dr give exact descriptions of their symptoms. How long they have had the symptoms and if they have been in contact with others that are sick. Be well planned with information about medicine you may be giving and fevers. It is always best to wait at least two days when your child is sick before making a trip to the dr. Unfortunately other times you may need to wait as many as five days. A quick run to the hospital as soon as your child develops symptoms isn’t going to help. My rule of thumb is if it’s a high fever over 102 go to the dr right away or even the ER. Also signs of dehydration definitely need attention. A runny nose and dry cough is going to get you sent home with the diagnosis of a cold and chances are you just picked up a new set of germs at the dr office.

My best advice is that if you know your child is not well, speak up because that dr is looking at your child for ten minutes max and you live with her/him. You also know how your child eats , plays and sleeps and when he or she is off these are all things you see and must be shared with your dr. As I have said before I am not a dr. I have no special training to diagnose or treat a child I am only speaking from experience. Stand up for your child because sometimes you know more than the dr in that one single moment so don’t be afraid to argue against that PHD title. I have and it works but then again I know a little bit about parenting.