what a parent would like to know about his kid from a doctor

what a parent would like to know about his kid from a doctor

caring for kids, their health and illness
Always ask: Layman questions:

what is my child suffering from?
Is it common? how common?
Is it serious? How serious?
nothing to worry... some thing to worry.. or critical?
any danger to life or ability?
Does it require medicines- /hospitalisation? how long? will it require a change of medicines? whats its chance?
Effect within how many hours... if no relief then what?
what i am supposed to do to keep it in check?
what parameters to monitor?
when should i consult back? or when to worry?
Anything to prevent the same?
Can it be this and that?
can he have day to day food and activities in this period?
Most of your questions are answered by your doc in first visit unless he has a very busy schedule.. and if you cant get answer even after asking these quieries then better change your doc.

also read: ask your doctor a contingency prescription (click on the link)
*****
Avoid medical terminologies unless the child is suffering from a permanant or known disease.
*****

The more you fall in medical terminologies; more you get confused and the more you can complicate management by correlating many things together unless you or a family member is a doctor.


The reports will confuse you more...
and many times they dont need to lead to any conclusion and you worry - what your child is having can be dangerous..
Believe in your pediatrician, clear all misunderstandings !!
ask him clinical queries-
be more concerned about child (health and disease), diet and medicines rather than biochemistry and pathophysiology.
Leave the interpretation of tests to your pediatrician
and
make a list of queries and get answered from your doc in single sitting.. or another for another list.
We respect your doubt to get the management confirmed by another pediatrician; you are welcome.

also learn danger symptoms before you write to me.

http://drpeds.blogspot.com/2006/11/emergency-serious-danger-symptoms.html

Your time with the doctor is valuable. Here are some tips to help improve your experience.
1. Know what medications you are taking. Have an updated list or bring in your medication. What you are actually taking may not match what the doctor has in his records. Herbal supplements and vitamins should also be on your list.
2. Have a written list of the 3 most important things you want addressed by your doctor. Also have a list of questions you would like answered for each of the items on your concerns. If it helps, you may write down your symptoms.
3. For important discussions, bring a family member with you. An extra set of ears can help reinforce what the doctor is trying to tell you.
4. Avoid talking about the health of other people. The doctor's primary concern during a visit is to you






Advice prepared by Dr santosh Kondekar, Mumbai india, THE ONLINE CHILD SPECIALIST

Comments

  1. why is it important to give close details to your doctor?

    many a times when you visit your doctor, h may ask many questions , some of them may sould irrelevant and or stupid. you may feel that you are trying to tell the doctor that your baby is got fever, so he shoudl treat. but doctor is more interested in knowing when was the fever, with medicines or otherwise, did it respond.. how many days.. how high fever.. any associated features... only fever in head... internal fever? etc

    what doctor is trying to do is to test a symptom for its consistency and form which helps a doctor come to a closest and more precise answer in the given situation to zero down on most probable reason or organism causing the sitution. if the information is given vague, wrong or incorrect or incomplete,so is likely to be the doctors impression.

    Dr santosh

    ReplyDelete
  2. A parent should address the complaints , and also a doctor should infer and explain the complaints under following aspects:
    concern, worry, seriousness, energency and super emergency (life/ability risk)

    concern is something that is unusual for the patient as interpreted by a patient or noted by a doctor.

    worry is something that is a persistant concern.

    persistant worry makes it serious complaint, there is a chance of disability or emergency.

    emergency is a matter of seriousness, that needs to be tackled promptly and if neglected, may risk life or ability (super emergency).

    Super emergency (life/disability risk), is a situation of extreme emergency where even seconds delay may have serious sequalae in teh form of morbidity/disability or mortality.

    The terms may sound difficult to understand.
    for example:

    occasional fever is a concern.
    repeated fever is a worry.
    daily repeated fever is seriousness.
    high fever can eb an emergency.
    high fever with seizure or any danger signs can be a life/ability risk.

    ReplyDelete

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if you are a parent, please post query at www.kondekar.com
डॉं कोंडेकर संतोष वेंकटरमण@मुंबई

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