So Ticked Dr Treated Baby for Wrong Thing... What Would You Do

You went in to confirm an ear infection and to have it treated. The doctor in the ER was looking for symptoms related to that, so when he saw the measles rash that's what he related it to. And not for nothing, but a lot of different rashes look very similar to each other. Unless you went to a Children's Hospital that specializes in pediatric illnesses, I'd cut the ER doctor some slack.

I get that you're worried, but you did follow up with the clinic and you got a follow up diagnosis. That was the appropriate thing to do, especially for ear infections and rashes in case the causes aren't what we initially believe them to be. It happens. That's why we do follow ups.

I think the ER doc made the best diagnosis he could based on the fact that the child had an ear infection, and based on the fact that it was not an emergency. How much time did you expect the doctor working in an Emergency room to give to you when the issue clearly was not an emergency?

Of course I'd be upset.

But try to keep in mind that a correct diagnosis is not so much a science as an art. There are a bazillion causes of rashes that look very similar to each other. ER doctors are spread pretty thin, handling many different kinds of problems every day at a rapid pace. They not as well trained in childhood diseases or symptomology as a pediatrician. Your 14 month old is not able to describe his symptoms. You went in describing an ear infection, and whether accurately or not, that's probably the starting point the doctor assumed. Measles is only recently becoming a more widespread problem as more families are choosing not to vaccinate (hopefully, most of the kids who were exposed at your son's daycare did get vaccinated).

AND you have medicaid coverage. Wow, how I would love to get treated with no, or a small, copay. I have a criminally-expensive insurance premium to pay every month, PLUS the full, out-of-pocket $195 for every office visit plus medication because my deductible is $6000 yearly. And I, too, have to go to an overburdened ER if I need immediate care, because it generally takes a week or 10 days to schedule an appointment with my regular doctor.

You were inconvenienced. Other kids were put at some risk. That's the nature of children's illnesses. But your child is now correctly diagnosed, and the penicillin may have helped clear out the ear infection, and your cost was minimal. If I were lucky enough to be in your position, I'd be counting blessings rather than feeling so annoyed.

The ER Doc confirmed an ear infection right? So, penicillin for that.

He also told you your son had a viral rash. For a virus there is no treatment except bedrest and fluids.

Measles is........ a viral rash.
http://children.webmd.com/tc/measles-rubeola-treatment-ov...
And the treatment for measles is..... bedrest and fluids.

So your son WASN'T actually treated for the wrong thing.... the Dr just didn't diagnose the viral rash as anything more than a viral rash. It may have needed time to progress in order to be correctly diagnosed. I used to be able to diagnose an ear infection in my daughter SEVERAL DAYS before it could be confirmed by the Dr - so I learned to manage the symptoms at home and wait until I knew it was far enough along that it could be confirmed and THEN go to the Dr and get the antibiotic.

If your son as a undetermined viral rash - that could be anything... and you never know if it's contagious or not, until the rash goes away. That's why you are "supposed" to keep your kid out of daycare until 24 hours after medication. In the case of virus you can't do that (no medication) so you have to keep them home until they are not symptomatic (ie the rash goes away).

I'm surprised daycare took him with a undetermined viral rash (even saying it's 'from the ear infection' still means they don't know the cause, so it's undetermined). Now, as working moms we all have to make decisions so you did the best you could do.

But it's certainly not the Dr fault other kids were exposed to measles.

but of course you're upset - we all get cranky when we can fix our kids immediately :-) I hope he feels better soon!

You have every right to be upset!!!!! one of the problems is that with this new "trend" of parents not vaccinating their kids it puts so many others, like your son, at risk. seeing as it has been sooooo long since this disease has been rampant many doctors dont know what it is. not really a valid excuse, but it is what it is. I am so sorry you have to deal with this!!!

Sometimes symptoms change in the course of a day and if he wasn't showing the same signs of measles at the time then I think it's understandable that the ER doctor didn't know. I would, however, contact the hospital (or see if the doctor would do so) and notify them of the missed diagnosis. Kids can have all sorts of rashes. My DD got heat rash once and I didn't know what it was at first.

My sister was always a weird one. When she got chicken pox, her pox looked nothing like mine so Mom wasn't sure what was going on. When she got sick, it went from bronchitis to walking pneumonia very quickly and doctors who didn't know this acted like my mother was neglectful.

Doctors are only human and how often is measles reported anywhere? You just have to hope and pray that the other baby is okay.

Are you sure its measles?? Can you get a 3rd opinion to break the tie? What if the ER doctor was correct and the clinic was wrong?

Your poor son. :-( *HUG*

Doctors are human, and not infallible. My little guy was quite sick at 3 months, I took him to the ER, he was diagnosed with bronchitis and prescribed an antibiotic. 2 days later i received a call from a radiologist who was looking at his x-rays, and told me to please bring him back to the ER, there was a spot on his lungs, and he more than likely had pneumonia.

After bursting into tears, then calming myself we went back, had more x-rays taken and, yes, he had pneumonia. He needed to be prescribed a different antibiotic, yet it never entered my mind to be upset with the doctor from 2 days earlier. I just praise God my guy got the treatment he needed.

I was misdiagnosed by an ER doctor once. I was just thankful that a family doctor correctly diagnosed me a couple days later. It was nothing serious, but it did involve a rash. Even dermatologists have a hard time figuring out rashes. I'd shoot the ER doctor a break.

The thing with measles is that many younger doctors haven't seen the rash so they don't know what it looks like, other than seeing it on slides or in a book. Unfortunately, because of the non-vaccinating crowd, measles is on the comeback so they'll be seeing it a lot more in the years to come and will probably diagnose it correctly. And there is no medicine or cure for it, so you just have to continue to do what you've been doing, which is what the ER doc told you originally.

Well ER is for major emergencies so if you come in and your child is not dehydrated/ bleeding or close to death then yes they are going to give a quick diag and get you out the door. should they? No, not really but if they are busy and your not dying then yes they will.

If you go in saying "my son has an ear infection" it is confirmed that he does then the doctor is going to make you happy and give a diag. It happenes sometimes you can't see all the signs at once. Somethings one doctor thinks one thing and another a different.

My daugther went' in a while back long story short she had strep throat but no easily read signs. after major dehydration from not eating and two urgent care visits they finally put the pieces together.

Measels are NOT a common diagnosis. ER doctors have better things to do then to take 30minutes or more trying toget a perfect daignosis of your child. Just my thoughts.

Sorry, but I have to agree with the other poster. I believe that your child had an ear infection and according to that diagnosis, he was treated properly. It is easy to misdiagnose rashes...there are a million of them out there. Unless they did a blood test or skin test, it is impossible to know for sure that it is measles.

If you think getting into your clinic is difficult now, wait until National Health Care comes into play. You will simply become a number.

My understanding is measles isn't very common anymore so the ER Doctor may not have ever seen a case or so rarely that it isn't something he'd look for. My thought is if you've come into contact with someone who is possibly pregnant, they need to know! I also think the daycare person should warn her clientele not mentioning who has it of course. This is in no way your fault, it happens and now that you know you'll be able to take care of him.

Most kids get child measles. It's also called Roseola. My kids have had it and it's really nothing to be scared of. Alot of doctors (like mine) call it that I guess because it looks like mealses, but is Roseola.

My Dr. told me that ER docs are not the best to diagnosed small children. They primarily take care of adults. I was told if we could not go to a Children's hospital and had to use a regular ER to always follow up with Pedi. I have went through the same thing. Not measles but misdiagnosed with my son. Hope your little man feels well soon!

I too would be extremely upset! That's the problem with ER doctors - if you're not bleeding profusely or unconscious, they don't pay much attention! I would definitely write a letter to the hospital but that's really about all you an do. In the letter, I would let them know that you intend to notify the day care and let them know that the exposure was due to the doctor at whatever the hospital is not taking the time to properly evaluate and diagnose your child and that any complaints should be directed to the hospital.

I was misdiagnosed by an ER doctor also. I would only go to one in future if it were a true emergency and needed immediate attention. I don't think they are experienced enough to diagnose.
I am sorry you are having so much trouble getting the appointments you need. Good for you for standing up for yourself and your son.

I would be pissed too...however...that's why they "practice" medicine. Sometimes a mistake is made. Doctors are not Gods, they are human just like me and you. I would, however, make a call to the ER doc and let him know just how off base he was.
L.

What would I do? First, I'd get my baby treated properly right away - get whatever meds he needs. Second, I'd call the ER and tell them what happened and ask them to explain. You aren't accusing them of anything (yet) so don't feel guilty about asking. If they were in the wrong, then I would let them know what I think about everything ;)

Hope your little guy will be okay! I'd love to know how he does b/c as someone said, this is rare indeed.

I was misdiagnosed with bronchitis and pneumonia a couple of years ago when I went to the ER because my regular doctor couldn't get me in and I couldn't quit coughing and felt like I couldn't breathe. The doctor also spent about 3 minutes with me and said, it's just a bad cough and it'll go away, here's some cough medicine with codeine in it. After two more days, I felt like I was dying so I called and begged my regular doctor to squeeze me in and as soon as he walked in and listened to me, he could easily tell I had both bronchitis and pneumonia and it was "advanced" and I had to have two rounds of very powerful antibiotics to clear it up all the way. So now I am very weary about going to the ER unless it is something obvious like a broken bone.