Recently I posted a question about feeding a 4 month old baby small quantities of water. I mentioned that the pediatrician had been rude and snapped at me for feeding her 2 oz of water after 2-3 days of diarrhea. I took her back 2 days later to a different pediatrician and positively insisted on contaminate testing of her stool as there had been blood in her stool for 3 days. The first pediatrician had said it was intolerance of her formula and switched her to soy. The second also switched her to Alimentium BUT heeded my advice to check for Salmonella, ova and parasites (the mother has well water). Come to find out, the baby tested positive for Salmonella (the mother had a boa constrictor in the room that was converted to a nursery). Should I do something to prosecute the first doctor who could have done the same test and possibly prevented the infant from suffering days of cramping diarrhea, an unbelivably raw bottom and bloody stools?
It’s a cut and dried case of a physician not taking the time to care for a sick patient. The child was new to the clinic and new to the doctor and she didn’t even take the time to note her past medical history or other complaints. The child is on Medicaid and her family is very poor. The doctor spent less than 10 minutes with her and just assumed without ever observing the three blood-tinged, stool-filled diapers that she had a milk allergy. Turns out she has SALMONELLA!!
AFTER POSTS – MORE DETAIL:
This, I might add, was not simply diarrhea. THE CHILD’S STOOL TESTED POSITIVE FOR SALMONELLA!! This means that IF the first doc had actually taken MORE THAN 10 MINUTES with this Medicaid baby, she might’ve made a different diagnosis. If she hadn’t been so busy snapping my head off for trying to rehydrate this infant, perhaps she might’ve made a better diagnosis. The child STILL TO THIS DAY has diarrhea. There is no blood, but her bottom is still chapped and raw from the 10+ stool filled diapers she has a day. We are using 1/8 of Desitin or Boudreaux’s butt paste, or Triple Paste, or Vaseline, or a mixture, or talcum-free cornstarch powder, or a combination of all that on this child’s fanny. I’m not her mother, just her caregiver, and I’m really FURIOUS with that first doctor for not catching this sooner. Not sure what she could’ve done, but she could have at least KNOWN the child had Salmonella had she taken the time to test!
you’ll be wasting your time and money for a case as shady as that
You probably wouldn’t win – but a complaint should be filed with your local medical board
Man, I don’t really know what. You were persistent in the child’s welfare, got a better doctor. Thank God for you!. But pursuing a Doctor for a raw bottom, ain’t gonna cut it with me. this whole health care system is fuped. And so is dental, veterinarian. Word of mouth, I think, is the best solution for now, don’t worry with it if the child is now well. Cure is found (by you I might add), with the 2nd doctor. Just let it go for now. It aint your worry, your worry is your child. Use word of mouth anytime you can. I will say: Don’t use the vet on 1960 Jones (bad), use the best, Guitarist (or similar name) Stafford, Texas (Houston. Sorry, I can’t name names when it comes to dentist, but little shop of horrors is what I remember him by, Synot road.
So you switched doctors, good for you. Yes, this could have been a serious situation, but luckily you were responsible and took the right action by getting a second opinion.
You can tell your friends about your experience, and you can write a letter to the doctor (or to the management/board of his hospital or clinic).
But malpractice? For diarrhea? Come on. Malpractice should be reserved for extremely serious cases of negligence. Not the kind that give diaper rash. Frivolous malpractice suits drive up health care costs for everyone and don’t solve the problem. I sympathize, but malpractice is not appropriate in this case.
Besides, this doctor wasn’t really negligent–he didn’t shove you out of the office, he told you to switch formula. (As did the other doctor.) He wasn’t negligent, he was just wrong. His solution wasn’t the right one, which happens all the time in medicine. That’s why patients like you are encouraged to take an active role.
Anybody who is in a business where he/she is likely to be sued should have no assets. His house, car, boat and everything of any value will be in the name of a trust or similar and even if you win in court you will lose. Save your money and your heartache. Just remember one very important thing. SHIT HAPPENS
File a complaint, but they probably won’t do much. Also, mom might want to let the people who refered her know.