whole family accused of munchausens (semi-long)

[mscsrjhm]

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?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Wow! Sounds horrific. Hope your precious grandson is back home again.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

i can understand you wish not to sue, but i would contact a lawyer anyway...especially your daughter....these things have a habit of NOT going away so easily.....make sure that it is all documented in little ones records....that is the clarification part....i would think about insisting on a written apology from the student and new nurse.....copy in the chart and one for home.....

[NurseCard, ADN]

Wow. How is your grandson doing?? I agree with the last poster, I would contact a lawyer anyway.

[mscsrjhm]

Thank you very much. He is doing well- thanks to at home therapist, aggressive mother, and lots of love.

He has lawyers (not for that hospitalization). They have the documents indicating that there was "great injustice" to the family.

The peds hematologist was furious also. My daughter's hematologist confirmed her VW history. Grandson's platelet aggregation studies came back abnormal twice. Nothing definite, but the VW is there.

By not calling DFS, they violated state law (apparently something done frequently at children's hospitals.). Any suspicion requires reporting. It became a mob mentality. New nurse, med student, attending not following up.

Simply because the med student wrote 1 1/2 tabs tid, instead of what my daughter told her: total amount of dopamine would be 1 1/2 tab in one day, and decided not to believe the history.

I've never seen anything like it. Apparently, the mobbing was exclusive to that floor. Other parents were accused also. Something like 30% parents suspected of munchausers.

The odd part- if you get angry because you are accused of child abuse- that apparently is an indication that the accusations are true (according to their staff).

[leslie :-D]

wow.

this totally sucks.

i'm not sure what i'd do...

first thing, would be to make sure all apologies are in writing- which you do have.

i also think a legal consult may be in order.

there were a lot of slanderous accusations.

an atty would know how to sniff out any potential implications.

and if they think an angry response = abuse, i wonder how they'd react to a dopeslap on their upside.

hmmmph.

mschrisco, i really am not sure if i'd let it go just yet.

a lot of damage was done.

even more than you may be aware of.

just consider a legal consult?

my very best to you and yours.:icon_hug:

leslie

[mscsrjhm]

Thank you.

G-son has attorneys- not for this reason.

I am not sure what they are doing or going to do- but it was horrific. A nightmare.

DOPAMINE??? We begged them to check the date of the RX, and the # of pills- to prove no overdose- they refused. They refused to call DFS, but informed us that if we attempted to leave we would be stopped.

DOPAMINE??? A medication not known for abuse, is it? And since there were 3 caregivers, daughter, father, and me, were they accusing all? They never answered.

Admitting blood cultures were negative, when IV site became red, swollen, painful, and was OOZING purulent drainage, blood culture was positive for staph- after being there 5 days. He became so sick.

Not just a poorly run floor, it was out of control.

The 1 on 1 nurses treated us like criminals-refusing to provide diapers, formula, baby food, etc. We brought it from home. Never, ever ever have I been through anything like that. We made them watch when we opened formula.

Home therapist were calling the hospital, and wrote letters that they faxed, as did friends and neighbors. 1 on 1 didn't stop until their abuse expert was called in (days later), oh, and they made him very sick with staph.

[lvnandmomx3]

I'm with OP, get everything in writting so nothing comes back to haunt you or the family.

[smk1, LPN]

I'm usually not litgious by nature, but this warrants a lawsuit. Being accused of child abuse is unreal! Not to mention that if you HAD been abusing that child they weren't following the proper procedure for that either. Also threatening you with repercussions if you try to leave without the proper authority to do so can be considered assault. This whole situation warrants further action. All of those "professionals" should receive written complaints to their governing boards. The nurse was outside of her scope by putting in a SL and sounds like she skipped giving a medication. The physcians really should have known better. And since when is Munchausen syndrome (by proxy) diagnosed over one simple medication mixup? Many Many people accidentally take the wrong doses of medications, and if it were on purpose they sure as heck wouldn't be telling the interviewer that they were taking more than the prescribed dose, they would be hiding that fact. DUh! That hospital sounds like a dog and pony show.

[oramar]

Oh Good Grief, medical student see disease on TV, medical student diagnosis several patients with it in the next few weeks. This is an old problem and should be addressed by your lawyer if you get one.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I agree, get a lawyer, this whole scenario is a travesty.

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

SUITE should be filed on behalf of family, then seperate suite for gs mistreatment.

Sometimes things happen to good people for a reason, and maybe God wants your family to be the ones to put a stop to this type of horrible treatment of families and children. I will pray for guidance for your family.