A mother’s intuition is a powerful thing, especially when something is going on with your child. Doctors
aren’t perfect, and they’re also very busy. And sometimes symptoms can be over looked or brushed to the side. Recognizing these symptoms early is essential for your child’s health and wellbeing. So what do you do when your doctor says one thing about your child, and your gut says another?
First, I suggest monitoring the child. Do their symptoms persist or even worsen? Are they able to keep up with their regular routine? Or are they spending more time away from school and sick in bed. If they seem quick to return to their normal routine, it was probably something minor. However, if they seem lethargic and run down several weeks after the onset of the illness there is a good chance something more is wrong. A lot of times kids don’t tell you when something is going on because they don’t want it to impact time with friends or social activities, so you need to look for signs and symptoms with them or their behavior.
Second, do your research. If doctors are reluctant to listen to your concerns bring your research to them. Doctors are busy, and although they are intelligent their mind is not a steel trap. They can’t keep every symptom of every diagnosis locked away. So if you bring them some research on common symptoms it may help them pin point what is going on with your child.
Third, keep a log so you could refer back to it. Days and events can blur together, especially when you have multiple children. You may mix up which child had what issue or other important details. It is extremely important to keep a log of illnesses, even those that seem insignificant. You never know when you may need to refer back. These events may be pertinent to diagnosing your child in the future. They may have seemingly minor things going on now, but six months in the future there could be a big medical event that these small symptoms were leading up to. This way if you keep notes you will remember all of the details.
Fourth, if you think there may be something more going on with your child seek out a moms group for that specific disease or disorder. This can be really helpful to get first-hand knowledge from someone who has been there. The internet can provide so many resources when it comes to this. Moms can share their experiences and what their child went through. This can help you validate your thoughts and intuitions.
If you feel in your heart that there is something more going on with your child’s health you need to take matters into your own hands. It could be the difference between life or death for your child.
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