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Page 5 A
PARENT'S GUIDE TO Q: What Should You Look For When You Get to the Doctor's Office? A: Look around. Is this office "child proof?" Are there toys for your child to play with? Are there many things he/she should not touch, climb or get into? Can you let your child move around in this office without undue restraint? Are well children separated from children who may have contagious illnesses? How are the office staff? Do they seem open and friendly, or do you feel out of place here? Are the nurses who weigh the child, conduct eye exams and perform some of the examination functions comfortable with your child? Are they pleasant to you? Are they supportive of your needs? Does your child seem comfortable, or at least as comfortable as any child feels in a doctor's office? If he/she is frightened, is the staff warm and reassuring? After the doctor has examined your child, you might ask if the nurse or receptionist could take the child out of the room for a few minutes so you can talk to the doctor alone. Children who are very active can make conversation difficult for both you and the doctor. If this is not possible, ask if the doctor can phone you later in the day to discuss your child and pick a time when you can talk on the phone uninterrupted. Q: What Should You Talk About? A: Remember that many doctors may not have had formal training or experience in any types of disabilities, developmental delays, or family stress. There may be important cultural differences which you may need to clarify. You may need to do a bit of teaching yourself and explain your situation as precisely as possible. Try to be as unemotional as possible; professionals will discuss matters with parents who seem in control of the situation better than with parents who get overly emotional. It would be useful to make out a list of your questions. This way, you will not waste each other's time and you will not forget any of the points you want to ask about. If you have a school-age child who is having some difficulties in school, or who may have some special needs in school, remember that this is another area with which many doctors are unfamiliar. Just as you are uncomfortable with doctors who use many medical terms you do not clearly understand, so doctors can be uncomfortable with education jargon. Explain your child's educational needs and placement clearly. Doctors can make specific recommendations to schools, so talk about concerns you have with your child's education. Therapies, such as speech therapy, occupational or physical therapy, can be recommended by the pediatrician. Referrals to a specialist may also be in order. Some children require that medications be given during school hours or require special health care considerations. Perhaps the school nurse, therapist, teacher, counselor, principal or aide would like the opportunity to talk to the doctor; ask if that would be possible. If you just want time to talk over your concerns about your child's overall development, say so and arrange for a time when both you and the doctor can discuss your questions at leisure. It may be a good idea to arrange a time when both parents (or primary caretakers), siblings, or the whole family can get together. If you state your needs clearly, then the doctor is better able to arrange appointments which will serve these needs. Q: How Can Doctors and Schools Work Together? A: Some children's disabilities may appear to have no more medical needs than other children. They may have processing problems and other learning problems which can sometimes be linked to sensory conditions which interfere with school functioning, such as middle ear infections. Medical conditions such as meningitis, head trauma, or serious ear infections can put a child at risk of learning disabilities. These are issues you may find important to talk about. In doing so, you may wish to work towards establishing a relationship between the doctor and school. You can help develop this sort of relationship by sharing school report cards, therapy arrangements, evaluations and conference reports with your child's doctor. It may also be useful to share ideas for learning and/or behavior that worked; the more the doctor knows about your child and other children with similar difficulties, the better able he/she is to help. Other children may have special medical needs which lead to "hidden" disabilities and may require accommodations in school through the special education system. The nurse may need to be aware of children with diabetes or epilepsy, school staff may need to exercise some safety precautions with students who have spina bifida or who are medically fragile, some children may require certain dietary restrictions, and still others with physical disabilities may need accommodations in some classes. Students may require related services, resource room help, or may need special transportation. For children who are eligible for special education services under "other health impaired" categories, the doctor's reports are vitally important. In all these areas, your primary care physician can be an important member of the school team. It
may also be useful to share the doctor's suggestions with school
staff, therapists, or early intervention team. Let these people
know any medical information which may be important to them, certainly
any changes in medication or medical conditions. If a child is recovering
from an illness or has special health care needs, including stress,
discuss this with the school staff as well as the doctor. You are
working on team building, and all team members need to be kept informed
and up-to-date. Some medical conditions can be related to school
stress, such as frequent stomach aches, headaches, or skin irritations.
Such anxiety related conditions may require changes in school programs
or expectations. Sometimes difficulty in school can lead to psychosomatic
complaints which both the doctor and the educators need to be aware
of and discuss.
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