Seeking Advice Baby in Hospital Should I Get a Second Opinion?

yes! Please seek a second opinon. I would recomend going to Arkansas Childrens Hospital for that. ACH specializes in babies and thier problems.

i have no experience with this, but are you at the Huntsville Hospital neonatal unit? they are considered the best for babies in north alabama.

Dear Teri,
I have a lot of faith in Children's Hospital. I really love it because in the hospital itself the doctor's(different kinds), come to you in your room and they all work as a team. My daughter had ITP but we didn't know it at the time, and she was sent there so each doctor came in and ran tests and in no time at all we knew what it was and how to treat it. And they also reassured us and made us feel at home.

Good luck. And I wish ya'll the best.

Sincerely,
A.

I would suggest getting online and find the best doctors listed in your area for his condition. If it isn't one he is seeing now, ask for a second opinion from one of them. I'll keep your family in my thoughts and prayers for a full recovery.
J.

You and your family are in my prayers. I have a friend who went through a similar situation and it took almost 2 years to get a diagnosis. For her, there is no known cure with the diagnosis, but there is therapy. She started at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, then Children's hospital in New Orleans, and then finally Texas Children's Hospital in Houston for the diagnosis. She had to be very persistent and pushy as many of the doctors were content to leave it at "failure to thrive".

She found a lot of help with a support group called Families Helping Families... I know they have a Louisiana organization...I'm not certain if they have a similar one in Alabama. They were able to help her navigate the maze of hospitals and insurance as well as gov't programs.

Do you trust the hospital that your baby is in? If you do, then a second opinion is probably not necessary. But it is your baby and if you feel the need to get confirmation, by all means do it! If the results are the same, no harm done. Good luck and god bless...

I assume that your son is in an NICU unit in the hospital, and if he is then there is likely a team of neonatologists working together already. Instead of sending your son through an actual transfer to another hospital that may not provide with any different answers, you can always speak with the medical team caring for him now and request a copy of his chart be sent for review to another physician or team of doctors (either that you select or they can refer you to). This approach might work to prompt the current doctors to seek outside advice themselves.
I send good thoughts and prayers to your family~

I dont know where you are from but i will tell you this ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL it is in Little Rock and is the best in the UNITED STATES when it comes to babies and hearts google it and you will see what i mean. My cousin had a baby that her heart was in her back, upside down and twisted. The drs. where she is from kept telling her the baby had a cold, she kept taking her here and there finally a dr. sent her to ACH and that is when they discovered it. They had to go into her back and her chest she was 3 months old when she had this done. She is now married and in college. Don't worry about regrets of what you do worry about regrets that you don't do, if you are asking then your heart, soul and mother's intuition is telling you something. you and your family is in our prayers.

T. I will pray for you and your baby boy. I am a mother of 2 and I know how precious each one is. I cannot imagine being faced with what you are faced with. I have a few freinds that are doctors and surgeons and a couple pediatricians..They always recommend another unbiased opinion. It is your baby and you have to live with the question " Did I do all I could". I would definately seek another hospital and even another town's advice if you could travel.Your son is in God's hands, keep that in mind. My prayers are with you. J. PS please keep us all informed...

Hi T.,
I can honestly say I know what you are going through. I have a son with Down Syndrome and he has has 6 different surgeries in his 6 year life. This is including open heart surgery. I would really recommend a second opinion. The cardiologist that treated my son's condition is Dr Matthew Kimberling. He is at St Francis and he is AMAZING! If there is something wrong with your baby's heart, Dr Kimberling will find it and take care of it. He is such a sweetheart and has a great bed side manner. He will take the time to sit with you as long as you need and make sure you understand everything going on. Please keep me posted on your baby's progress and if you need anything let me know. I'm always here to talk if you need someone who knows what you are going through. Hang in there T..
A. K

Yes i think you need to get more results on this and more options and look for a nother doctor and hospital, if you can in these kind of situations you need more help, more doctors to diagnose the systems to make sure you are on the right track and level of the illness, alot of people get confused there selfs on the illness and they go for the first one and there might be some one out there can help. so just make sure and we of mothers on here will be praying for you for the better. and we will be praying real hard for your baby. the Angels are on your side sweetty so pray for the best and ask god call on him and you will get your help because god has a messenger for all kinds of love and support and deer i might be one of them.you might have to go out of town for a nother opinion but it will be worth it. I Give You my Support.

Good morning T. - you have just blessed my life with your attitude - going through what you are dealing with could be overwhelming and you still maintain optimism. God bless you and yours. Yes, if you are wanting a 2d opinion from a doctor not on staff at the hospital, go for it. There is a Mayo clinic in Jax, Fl and other teaching hospitals which specialize in research. Vanderbilt is a good choice. Call the AMA and ask for references or ask friends and co-workers if they have any suggestions for a good pediatrician in your area to start the ball rolling. Your baby is such a precious gift from God and I would never stop at one opinion. I almost lost my beloved daughter as an infant due to incorrect diagnoses and got another opinion (actually 4 or 5) until someone knew what to do. The very best of luck to you and your family and God bless.

I am so sorry for your little one, and I hope he pulls through--he sounds like a fighter!!
I would get a second opinion--it never hurts, and the next doctor might know of something else, so es, do that!!
There is a website you can try out, called caringbridge.org it is a site similar to this one, but for people with children in hospitals,etc. You can connect with other people in your situation, maybe even some parents with the same issue. It is worth a try!! They can give you insight on what all they did.....
Good luck to you and your family...you all are in my prayers!!

I just wanted to say I'm so sorry your little one is going through all this. You need to trust your intuition. And if you aren't going to have peace of mind without getting a second opinion, then do it. Even if he is seeing multiple doctrs, no one knows whats happening, so you should look for someone who does. Don't worry about upsetting his current doctors. He's your child and they need to understand that. I will say a prayer for y'all. I really hope they can find what's causing this and fix it.

Unfortutnately, i don't have any advice, but i did just want to send you and your family a "god bless you!" and let you know that i will keep you in my prayers. Don't discount miracles they happen everyday!!

WITHOUT A DOUBT . Sure your doctor would be glad to assist you in this. Whenever this comes up always make sure you follow up. No one wants to wonder should I or did I do - for the rest of their lives.

God Bless you, husband and all the children.

T.: Wow, I am so very sorry to hear of your struggles with your little one! If he has been in the hospital since May and they still do not have a diagnosis, I would definitely take hime to a different hospital for a second opinion. I'm not sure which hospital you have him in, but, in my expereince, there are some hospitals in OKC that I would never return to and some that I would suggest. If he's not at Children's, I would definitely take him there; however, if that is where he is at, I would try Mercy.

I wish you the best of luck and you and your family are in my prayers!

God Bless,

S.

if your baby is at children's hospital, I think that is the best hospital for children. If your baby isn't there I would recommend that Hospital. I hope everything get's better.

T., I am a Pediatric RN. I have found In my practice that a parents intuition is always founded. If you feel in your heart that there is something missing do not give up! I don't know where you live, but find out where the specialist are and seek their advice. Praying for your family, W..

Having read almost all of the responses also, I am assuming that your baby is in Childrens Hosp. Birmingham. If so, know that they are a great hosp., but no one but you can give your baby the kind of strength hearing and feeling your touch and love will give. Be with your baby as much as possible and pay attention to everything, keep pushing for information and letting him and everyone there know you want help for him no matter what it takes. Pray and many others pray for you. Everything will work out!

Hi T.,
First of all, let me send you hugs and prayers. I am so sorry you are walking through this with your son. It is so hard to have a child that it seems like the doctors can't figure out. I know because I had one.

We had her 7 months and though we had many diagnoses during that time, the doctors were still searching for an underlying genetic disease and the best ways to treat some of her issues.

I don't share that to discourage you, but to let you know that I do know what you are going through. One thing I learned through walking through that experience is that as a mother, you are your child's main protector and provider. It was hard for me, but I felt that even though Emma had excellent doctors, I had to often push certain issues that I might see, but they didn't or ask questions to make sure I was clear on what they were saying, etc. Now I am sure there are many doctors involved in your son's case, and hopefully they are conferring, etc. If you truly feel that they are missing something, or that another doctor would add to your son's medical team, by all means pursue it. Don't feel guilty for pressing for something that may make a difference in the situation.

Again, I am sorry. I know how frustrating it can be to be in the waiting game. I hope they are able find something quickly. Never give up hope and don't distrust the doctors either, just make sure you have good communication with them. Emma's doctors were amazing, and I still think so.

Feel free to email me if you need to talk more.

M.

Edited to Add: Emma was at Arkansas Children's Hospital mostly. I would second the opinions that it is a great hospital. She had heart issues and breathing issues as well. I imagine that any Children's Hospital is a good place to be.

Absolutely. Get a second opinion, get a third. As important, you must research everything they tell you and everything you observe in your baby. You can be a partner to his doctors in finding some way to help your son. Figure this out as best you can and find out how you can get the best help for your baby. He is counting on you.

Good luck.

L.

i had to take my 22 month old to the ER she was having bad cramps so bad she was screaming. they took x-rays to see if there was a blockage or something like that. they sent us to OU Childrens in OKC because they are a Childrens hospital and they ran every test possible. i felt so much better they had more ideas because they see it all the time. my daughter didnt have any other problems but i know well take her straight there if she does. so if you really feel you need someone else i would find a childrens they are wonderful. i well keep you in my prayers

It absolutely never hurts to get a second opinion.

Dear girl, you are so brave and that is wonderful. Remember, God gave you this little one and He knows you will take such good care of him. Bless you and I applaud you for all you are doing for each of your little ones. I noticed you are in Pelham,AL. I have no exp. like you have had but I would do all I could to get a 2nd opinion. The doctors may not appreciate it but tough bananas. This is your call. My first thought is Birmingham. I do not know about their infant care but have had adult friends who received miracle medical treatment there. My other thought, and I do not know how this happens, is the infant care in Little Rock. A friend whose grand had spinal column and heart problems went there from MS via helicopter at birth. She cannot say enough good things about his care. He is improving so much and came home within several weeks but goes back monthly now. I can get you the info or put you in contact with her if you are interested. She also could not say enough good about the Ronald McDonald house that she and family members stayed in while the grand was in the hospital. My prayers are with you and I will connect you with her to get info if you take that route. B'ham may be your first choice but do look further. Have you considered St. Jude in Memphis? May is too long ago with no answers.

Always get second opinions. The Greatest Opinion comes from the Bible. It is a promise! Ask in "believing" and anything is possible with God. Let me tell you what happened with my brother when he was born. He only had half of a brain. My mother was hysterical. The doctors told her that my brother would not live to be 15 years of age. During those years he would be totally blind and never develop a mind over the age of 8. All mother knew to do was "Pray". My brother is 49 years old today, never even wore glasses and is a carpenter,electrician, and a truck driver. He has two beautiful children. The oldest is 20 which he was born with the same problem. Doctors told my brother his son would die if he did not have surgery when he was only 3. My brother took him to a surgeon and the surgeon told my brother there wasn't anything wrong with his son. On the way to the doctors his son looked up at him and said, "Daddy, I am going to be alright. They are both doing great. God can do all things, if we just believe! I will pray for your child in agreement with you!

Hi T.,
I'm so sad to hear all that you have been going through. I work with sick children as a physical therapist and I think it is one of the hardest things for a family not to have a diagnosis. Unfortunately, it's also very common. There are all kinds of new diseases that haven't been identified yet. I'm sure the doctors where you are have done their best to try to figure out what is wrong. Of course, some doctors have more experience than others.
If you want a second opinion, you might want to start where you are. Ask the doctor in charge of your baby, or another doctor or a nurse you like what your next steps might be. They might be happy to recommend a specialized hospital or research hospital, or a genetic consult if you haven't had one.
In my experience, the children's hospital in Birmingham is very good. Probably the best known and respected children's hospital is the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (PA), though it's quite a trip from AL. You can also go to the NIH (National Institute of Health) websites and look there. They do research on little-known diseases and often see children without diagnoses.
A diagnosis is comforting, but not always necessary to make a child better. I can't tell you how many kids I have worked with whose parents were told they would never live. Doctors almost always have the best intentions, but they are not always right! Keep fighting!!!! Love can work miracles!