Healthy Habits: 6 Tips On Advocating For Your Child’s Health When The Problem May Seem Trivial

Stephanie Duesing knows all about advocating for kids’ healthcare when doctors have other priorities. Her son Sebastian has CVI—a form of blindness in which the eyes function perfectly but the neurological visual pathways within the brain do not.Stephanie talks about this journey in her memoir, Eyeless Mind. She offers these 6 tips for parents struggling to get their child the attention they need from the medical community

Be persistent

If one provider turns you away, find another.  Keep knocking on doors.

Document the symptoms

Keeping careful track on a daily basis of what you notice, how your child behaves and how this changes. This will help you communicate better with doctors when they do see you while helping you identify the issue.

Listen to your child

Ask your child questions about their symptoms on an ongoing basis.  Listen attentively when they describe how they are feeling and what they are experiencing.  Write it down.

Trust yourself

You know your child better than anyone else in the world. If their behavior and feelings keep pointing to a problem, trust your instinct even if doctors turn you away.

Expand your search beyond the medical community

Depending on the medical issue, some other professionals in related fields, such as teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists may be more informed on the issue than doctors are. It was members of the orientation and mobility community who ultimately led the Duesings to  finde the doctors who were able to help.

Prepare for the long haul

It can take time to find the provider who will give you the help you need. Being persistent means continuing the journey for as long as it takes.