Son wrongly suffered for 6 years

[SparkyXXV]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mass.

My son was diagnosed with encopresis at the age of 7 years. He lived with this condition and the embarassent and humiliation it includes for the next 6 years. The only thing the Dr did for him was to put him on laxatives and high fiber diet. Two weeks ago he ended up going to the ER with severe abdominal pain (he is now 14) At the ER he had a CT scan which showed that he had an impacted bowel and that it had been there for several years. He was again put on laxatives, stool softeners, and enemas. After a week of this when he could no longer stand up straight, he ended up back in the ER and this time he was given an Xray and we discovered that the blockage was the size of a softball! The drs began to talk about surgically removing the blockage. He was referred to a specialist who gave him some medicine to clear it out and if that didnt work then surgery would be necessary. He took the medicine and it did work and cleared up the blockage. My question is during those 6-7 years he never had a CT scan or Xrays to see what was going on inside. So does that constitute malpractice on the part of the Dr who only gave him high fiber diet and laxatives? Also shouldn't my son be entitled to some kind of compensation for sufferring the humiliation and embarassment this situation caused? He was a little boy and was not allowed to have a normal childhood because of this condition. Please someone let me know what you think. I am outraged that it took almost 7 years to find someone who actually knew what he was doing to help my little boy.

[enjay]

Originally Posted by SparkyXXV

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mass.

My son was diagnosed with encopresis at the age of 7 years. He lived with this condition and the embarassent and humiliation it includes for the next 6 years. The only thing the Dr did for him was to put him on laxatives and high fiber diet. Two weeks ago he ended up going to the ER with severe abdominal pain (he is now 14) At the ER he had a CT scan which showed that he had an impacted bowel and that it had been there for several years. He was again put on laxatives, stool softeners, and enemas. After a week of this when he could no longer stand up straight, he ended up back in the ER and this time he was given an Xray and we discovered that the blockage was the size of a softball! The drs began to talk about surgically removing the blockage. He was referred to a specialist who gave him some medicine to clear it out and if that didnt work then surgery would be necessary. He took the medicine and it did work and cleared up the blockage. My question is during those 6-7 years he never had a CT scan or Xrays to see what was going on inside. So does that constitute malpractice on the part of the Dr who only gave him high fiber diet and laxatives? Also shouldn't my son be entitled to some kind of compensation for sufferring the humiliation and embarassment this situation caused? He was a little boy and was not allowed to have a normal childhood because of this condition. Please someone let me know what you think. I am outraged that it took almost 7 years to find someone who actually knew what he was doing to help my little boy.

For 6 years you didn't bother to get a second opinion?

[lealea1005]

Originally Posted by SparkyXXV

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mass.

My son was diagnosed with encopresis at the age of 7 years. He lived with this condition and the embarassent and humiliation it includes for the next 6 years. The only thing the Dr did for him was to put him on laxatives and high fiber diet. Two weeks ago he ended up going to the ER with severe abdominal pain (he is now 14) At the ER he had a CT scan which showed that he had an impacted bowel and that it had been there for several years. He was again put on laxatives, stool softeners, and enemas. After a week of this when he could no longer stand up straight, he ended up back in the ER and this time he was given an Xray and we discovered that the blockage was the size of a softball! The drs began to talk about surgically removing the blockage. He was referred to a specialist who gave him some medicine to clear it out and if that didnt work then surgery would be necessary. He took the medicine and it did work and cleared up the blockage. My question is during those 6-7 years he never had a CT scan or Xrays to see what was going on inside. So does that constitute malpractice on the part of the Dr who only gave him high fiber diet and laxatives? Also shouldn't my son be entitled to some kind of compensation for sufferring the humiliation and embarassment this situation caused? He was a little boy and was not allowed to have a normal childhood because of this condition. Please someone let me know what you think. I am outraged that it took almost 7 years to find someone who actually knew what he was doing to help my little boy.

Laxatives to clear out the bowel, then a high fiber diet to maintain regular BM's IS the treatment for encopresis. It's the constant dilation of the bowel that causes the impaction/obstruction.

Did you follow up with the ordering Physician after treatment was started? When you son's condition did not resolve, did you call that Physician? How long did you keep your son on this treatment without follow up?

[lya]

When the treatment provided equals the treatment required, then no viable claim of damage exists, even if negligence/malpractice did occur.

As for not having a normal childhood, whatever that means, it is not the fault of the MDs.