Making the Right Medical Decisions for Your Child

Making the right medical decisions for your child isn't always simple or clear cut. Yet we as parents are faced with these decisions everyday. And as a pediatrician I'm also faced with answering these questions. Just today I spent extra time with a family. They were having a hard time making a decision for their child. Finally I just printed out some info and told them to go think about it. I trust that they will research the topic and come back with more questions and then we can really get down to understanding what needs to be done.

As parents we presumably want the very best for our child and in this day and age there's a lot of doctor mistrust. Gone are the days of paternalistic medicine -where what the doctor say goes. Now, everyone has an opinion from guy at the walk- in Urgent Care site to Cousin Betty who is a nurse and her daughter the dental assistant. Between all the varied opinions it can be hard to sort it all out and make a well informed decision.

Make sure you gather all the information available and make the decision that you feel is the best for him, not just the one that makes you feel less squeamish.

This is what I recommend-

• Know every step of what is being done. This ranges from getting vaccines to antibiotics.

• Try not to get caught up in the anecdotal data that is floating around. "I once knew a friend whose brother's sister got sick that way!" isn't substantial enough evidence to avoid a procedure.

• Don't try to assume that your doctor will know everything. If you really need the opinion of a specialist then make sure you get to talk with one.

• If it doesn't seem right say so.

• Do your research.
  

• Ask your friends.

• Keep an open mind.

• Ask the right questions such as:
  

1. What would be the consequence of not getting the procedure/treatment?
2. Is this the standard of care?
   
3. Would the results change our management?
   
4. Are there other alternatives?
5. What are the risks?
   
6. Can I have a second opinion?