Picking the RIGHT Practitioner for YOUR Child: Part 2- Medical 

 I have been a type one diabetic for 31 years, and now I've had a child with complex special needs for six and a half years. Through my experiences, I have loads of experiences that I have gathered over time. In this episode, I will be sharing four great points on the selection of a medical practitioner. I will be heavily relying on  Dr. Jerome Groopman’s book, How Doctors Think. 

• Scope of competence versus the scope of practice: No practitioner can be an expert in all areas. The pace of research and publication to stay up to date on the latest stuff is just too great so doctors and therapists all end up specializing in one little area. The easiest way to know a practitioner’s specialization is to look at their bio on the website. To dig deeper into what they are about, you can Google their full name with quotation marks around them to see the publications under their name. If that’s not enough, you can look them up on PubMed. 
• Look for a thoughtful partnership: Always look for someone who is willing to have a discussion, everyday open conversations, keen to get into the nitty-gritty with you. According to Dr. Groopman, if you sense a practitioner’s negative attitude, you're not imagining it, and if you do, you need to find another doctor. Once you find a thoughtful partner, be careful not to let them become hesitant about pushing for invasive testing or procedures.
• Do your homework: The partnership you get into with your practitioner is not one way. You have a responsibility of always being prepared. Part of that is that anytime we go unprepared, we're risking an increase in confirmation bias. Take time to research your child’s condition and always trust your gut.
• Medical Ableism: Some people would argue that over the last 10 to 20 years, there's not as much of this power differential between physicians and patients. It may be true for nurses for typical patients, but I think this is still an issue in the disability community. When you notice ableism, I believe it's on us as parents to address it in whatever way is appropriate, whether that's writing a letter an email, making a phone call to the human resources or practice manager, or the practitioner themselves. It's not just for our kids; it’s for the other kids that are going to be seen by this practitioner. 

 

With the four points, I believe you are in a better position to make an informed decision.  If this episode helped you feel supported, answered a question, or taught you something new. Please do me a quick favor. Leave a five-star review for this podcast. It would mean so much to me as this podcast is still very new, and reviews help other special needs parents like us find this show.