Would you...

JJ

I have a query for y'all and here's the background:

I have a two month old baby daughter who was diagnosed with cerebal palsey. She had a stroke just before she was born. The doctors said that she will have a physical and mental disability when she grows up. It could be anywhere from mild to severe but the doctors can't predict how mild or severe it will be.

However...

Her development has been fantastic. She was in hospital for a month after she was born. She went from ICU to the Special Care Baby Unit to home. She was tube feeding when she left hospital and now she's completely off the tube. Her doctor is amazed at how she's grown and how she now takes milk from the bottle just like any other person her age.

After getting such great feedback from her doctor...

My mom rang and made us a suggestion. First of all, you should know that my parents live in the US and I'm originally from the US. My mom was talking with some fancy neurologist who works in New York. He said that they could run all kinds of fancy tests with their fancy equipment to find out what exactly had caused our daughter's stroke. They could (possibly) give us a clearer picture of what might happen in future and what treatments we could do if any.

My wife was very upset by this suggestion because she felt it was undermining all the hard work we've done since our daughter was born. She also felt it was second-guessing all the care and treatment our daughter has received so far. I kinda had an open mind to all of this at first but it upset me to see my wife so upset by it.

My mom seems to think that our medical insurance might cover all this. I haven't looked into this yet but the more I think about it, the more I think they'll tell me to feck off if I ask them to cover it. Even if we could afford it or someone was willing to pay for it (I don't think my parents are), I can't help but think that these tests probably won't tell us much more then we already know. Our daughter is doing fine at the moment so it feels like a situation of if it ain't broke don't fix it.

My query is...

What's everybody else's thoughts on this?

Carrigart Exile

My nephew was born so premature that he was diagnosed as most likely to be suffering brain damage. The poor wee mite in his first two years of life has had about 6 operations including a shunt being fitted in to his brain to allow fluid to clear. He's 4 now and is a fantastic wee boy, there appears nil brain damage and he appears to have got over the trauma of his first few years of life. Where am I going with this, well basically to say let him develop, don't throw money at something that you will find out in time anyway and the less trauma for the wee one the better.

Gurgle

JJ wrote:

They could (possibly) give us a clearer picture of what might happen in future and what treatments we could do if any.

Find out more.

If theres a chance that treatment could help your daughter, its worth looking into.

But what you have is a 3rd hand diagnosys, see if you can get your GP or her specialist to phone the neurosurgeon and discuss the case in detail. Its possible that the tests the New York guy is talking about have already been done, we do have a first world medical system here. Its also possible that the tests are irrelevant to your daughter's case.

If he can convince your doctor theres any point, then find out about the cost and the insurance situation.

dame

I second Gurgle's views.

wexford12

Hi im not sure what more questions you are looking to be answered id say your parents are doing what most would wanting more answers when really are there anymore answers to be given at this stage nothing will turn back the clock i would stay with the irish doctors if your daughter is makeing progress bupa and vhi will cover her once the mother had cover the child is covered for the first year or maybe six months cant remember which one but be sure to carry on the insurance as if you let it lapse you will never get it back again the best of luck to you guys only giving my opion but the one think i would say is enjoy every day you have with your child and why spend them traveling to hospitals and doing tests etc if you dont have to im sure you have a most beautiful baby enjoy the love she gives you

daiixi

What if in say, five years, you find out what caused your daughters stroke and also find out that these tests could have found it out now and you learn that if you had known in 2007 what caused the stroke and taken certain steps you could have given your daughter a better quality of life but because you didn't you now can't?

You have the responsibility to give your child the best possible care. My €0.02 anyway.