SO, am I a bad parent, or just clueless?

[Flame]

Last night at dance, the company had the opportunity to see a physical therapist one on one.  Most of the girls were in and out in 5-10 minutes.  Not my kid....she was in there for almost 45, and they didn't even get to her legs or feet!  I guess she has tendonitis in both hips, and a back injury that hasn't completely healed that she first experienced 2+ years ago.  She said the PT was shocked that her back had been bothering her (on and off, infrequently, maybe every couple/few months) that long and she hadn't been seen by a professional.

I knew her back bothered her, but when it did, we would ice it, and heat it, and it would go away.  It would start bothering her when she had an unusually strenuous class or something, but it was never a constant thing.

They want her to ice massage her hips and back daily for a few weeks, but say that her back keeps hurting because it never really healed all the way from the original time.

So, would you have taken her to be seen?

[Wineslob]

Probably not, but it would have been depending on how much she bitched. Kids are pretty bad about ignoring pain, unless it's nasty.

[jinxmchue]

Probably not, but it would have been depending on how much she bitched. Kids are pretty bad about ignoring pain, unless it's nasty.

I agree, though I wouldn't say they ignore pain as much as they don't tell anyone they're having pain.

[formerlurker]

Did you mention it to her pediatrician in her yearly well visits? 

[Flame]

Did you mention it to her pediatrician in her yearly well visits? 

She's 15....what yearly well visits??  LOL   To put it in perspective, I've taken a kid to the Dr for being sick ONCE in the past 2-3 years. (And I have 3 kids!).  When it's an obvious injury (like getting hit in the face with a baseball) it's a no brainer. 

She told me it hurt, but she continued to dance.  Basically sucked it up and danced through any pain, I guess.  I figured if it hurt REALLY bad she wouldn't be dancing?   I don't know. I figured it was just normal pain for being a dancer?

[terry]

You're not a bad parent.

At this age, you have to rely on the kid to tell you what's up.

I watch Rob (our 14yo football player) if I see him limping, favoring something or moving gingerly then I ask him "does ___ hurt?" to the point of driving him nuts.  He does always answer honestly, at least I think he does.

I think though, if he was playing successfully, I would think he was ok.

[Miss Mia]

When I was senior in high school one day my leg was really hurting.  I also noticed that the calf was numb on one side and it hurt to walk or sit any length of time.

I talked to my mom, she thought I was just trying to get out of going to school. 

About a week goes by and it's still bothering me.  I call and schedule my own doctors appointment and go in and see him about my leg hurting.  Turns out, it's my back.

He sends me for an MRI.  Both my parents go with me to the doctor when he's going to go over the results.  Turns out I have a bulging disk.

I never let my mom forget how she just said "oh go to school and stop complaining."     Both my parents felt really really bad for discounting me when I said that something wasn't right. 

[Flame]

When I was senior in high school one day my leg was really hurting.  I also noticed that the calf was numb on one side and it hurt to walk or sit any length of time.

I talked to my mom, she thought I was just trying to get out of going to school. 

About a week goes by and it's still bothering me.  I call and schedule my own doctors appointment and go in and see him about my leg hurting.  Turns out, it's my back.

He sends me for an MRI.  Both my parents go with me to the doctor when he's going to go over the results.  Turns out I have a bulging disk.

I never let my mom forget how she just said "oh go to school and stop complaining."     Both my parents felt really really bad for discounting me when I said that something wasn't right. 

So you are saying I'm a bad parent???   

If it had continued for more than a couple days at a time (and with a long period of timebetween flareups) I'm sure I'd have taken her in.   

I wonder if I need a Dr's referral for physical therapy, or if I can schedule it myself.

[bijou]

When I was senior in high school one day my leg was really hurting.  I also noticed that the calf was numb on one side and it hurt to walk or sit any length of time.

I talked to my mom, she thought I was just trying to get out of going to school. 

About a week goes by and it's still bothering me.  I call and schedule my own doctors appointment and go in and see him about my leg hurting.  Turns out, it's my back.

He sends me for an MRI.  Both my parents go with me to the doctor when he's going to go over the results.  Turns out I have a bulging disk.

I never let my mom forget how she just said "oh go to school and stop complaining."     Both my parents felt really really bad for discounting me when I said that something wasn't right. 

Heh. My mother did much the same thing when I broke my arm at the age of 4.

Don't worry Flame, teenagers have a highly developed ability not to tell parents anything. 

[mamacags]

My daughter fell in preschool and hit a metal storage cabinet.  I took her to the doctor because she hit her head and arm and was really white.  They said she was bruised.  Two weeks later she was still crying when I picked her up.  I took her to the ER and she had a broken collar bone.  I felt like the world's worst parent and cried in front of the doctor.  When your kid is kind of whiny anyway it is hard to tell when something is actually wrong.

[Miss Mia]

So you are saying I'm a bad parent???   

If it had continued for more than a couple days at a time (and with a long period of timebetween flareups) I'm sure I'd have taken her in.   

I wonder if I need a Dr's referral for physical therapy, or if I can schedule it myself.

Nah, you're not a bad parent.  I don't think my mom was being a bad parent when it happened either.  If she's not really complaining and it's not happening every single day, how are you supposed to know?  

As for the physical therapy, I had to get a referral for it when I was in an HMO, but now that I'm in a PPO I don't have to get a referral.  

[Miss Mia]

Heh. My mother did much the same thing when I broke my arm at the age of 4.

Then there was that time I was in a car accident (a lady ran the red light t-boning me) and when I called all hysterical she hung up on me. 

[Thor]

Well, when it comes to back injuries or back pain, they are NOTHING to mess around with. I'm gimpy today because I ignored a back injury for 10 months. Neuropathy all the way down my left leg due to the back injury damaging the nerves. An X-ray or MRI isn't all that tough and the MRI will usually show any problems.

[formerlurker]

She's 15....what yearly well visits??  LOL   To put it in perspective, I've taken a kid to the Dr for being sick ONCE in the past 2-3 years. (And I have 3 kids!).  When it's an obvious injury (like getting hit in the face with a baseball) it's a no brainer. 

She told me it hurt, but she continued to dance.  Basically sucked it up and danced through any pain, I guess.  I figured if it hurt REALLY bad she wouldn't be dancing?   I don't know. I figured it was just normal pain for being a dancer?

Ah, kids here in MA have to go yearly as school districts and city/town leagues require medical forms be completed for all sports. 

[Crazy Horse]

Bad parent all the way.................did ya even need to ask?

 

[RobJohnson]

I wonder if I need a Dr's referral for physical therapy, or if I can schedule it myself.

Yes.

I have had the most luck with a MD/Chiropractor practice that does rehabilitation in the same office.

I have x-rays, deep tissue massage, therapy, and an adjustment, all in one stop....and every couple weeks see the MD about my meds and progress.