My grandson, 1 year old, septo-optic dysplasia, global developmental delays, high functioning autism, dystonia-(for which he was prescribed dopamine prn) began having temperature spikes- up to 104- totally asymptomatic, even home ST, PT, OT, and others witnessed it. (In home therapies for over 8 months). Physician decided to place him in hospital for a few days to monitor temperature spike due to his concern re SOD and potential cortisol crisis. Home life included three caregivers: his mother, father and me- grandmother, all upright decent people- no history of drug abuse, child abuse, alcoholism, etc. Frequent home therapists.
On admit, they placed a saline lock. The Physician had said no IVs. Admitting nurse insisted, said it wasn't ordered but they might need it. Daughter wasn't happy, but didn't get too upset- just told them that she had specifically asked to avoid painful testing or procedures.
Med student interviewed Mom and I. She was told the Dopamine was given-"prn-1/2 tab up to 3 times daily" as ordered by one of their own neurologists. Attending never interviewed us.
Next day- we requested the nurse bring him dopamine- three requests and no med. After 2 hours, we gave him 1/2 tab of med from home. Informed the tech of this, telling him the nurse would not bring it. Nurse came in and we informed her also. (New nurse- just passed state boards 2 weeks prior). We also asked for formula (common brand)- she said they do not carry that type- so I had to buy some at a local store.
The very next morning- attending, med students, nurse, charge nurse, and social worker informed us that my daughter had been intentionally overdosing him, and we (all of us) were placed on one-on-one. Student said we were giving 1 1/2 tabs tid. We corrected this, the nurse stated we were giving medication from home. We agreed, and informed them that the nurse would not bring it, and we had later told both nurse and tech that we had given it.
Apparently, when you are accused of child abuse, you mustn't get angry- because when I told the "doctor" that this was all @##($*&, she grinned at the students and said "see".
My daughter, in shock, demanded another doctor and to be moved to a different floor.
1 on 1 for 4 days!!, 3 different temperature spikes in front of the gestapo!!He once fell backward and bumped his head. I held pressure for a few minutes because him mother has severe bleeding disorder, and he hit pretty hard. The gestapo informed us that my daughter did not have a bleeding disorder- that the med student had contacted someone? and my daughter did NOT have a bleeding disorder. Wow- over 40 transfusions, DDAVP, Stimate, FFPs ICU 2 times, positive for Von Willebrands, silly us!!
4th day- IV became infected, he was treated for staph- ????? he was so sick- all because of an IV that wasn't even ordered!!!
They refused to call state children's services, like we asked them to, but finally called in their director/physician responsible for possible child abuse. She talked to us for 10 minutes, came back in 45 minutes and basically said it was all @#$. Med student had just gotten the dose wrong.
1 on 1 was cancelled- Another attending apologized. One of the physician's documented that a great injustice had been done to this family.
They accused us without following up on a med student's assessment, made my grandchild very sick, refused to abide by state law and call DFS, refused to provide formula, diapers or wipes (No- little new nurse did not even bring us diapers when we asked!)
It was one of the biggest debacles that I have witnessed, much less been involved in. All they had to do was ask us- how much Dopamine are you giving him? She wrote it down wrong and no one followed up. New nurse jumped right in.
FYI- no litigation- an apology would have been nice- but that doesn't come from a hospital. A simple misunderstanding, failure of an attending to follow up a student, misconception that, when accused of child abuse an innocent person will get angry, and a new nurse who wasn't doing her job. The home therapists even called the social worker at the hospital to tell them there was no abuse.
It later came to our attention, many other parents on that floor had been accused of munchausers. Wow- there must have been an epidemic.
Mob hysteria?
whole family accused of munchausens (semi-long)
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