Can I just bang my head against the wall again!!

[NancyR]

There's a new nurse at our pedi's office.. I love our pedi, we've been with the practice for 10 years now, and literally they are a lifesaver.

I asked for a camp health form to be filled out... the new nurse checked off dd has psychological and behavioral issues due to.... her cerebral palsy!! ACK!!! She did NOT check off physical limitations... dd walks with a mild limp, so yes, there are mild physical limitations...

When I called, she said that's the typical symptoms with spastic diplegia... uhm, nope, actually it isn't... typical symptoms are decreased strength mostly in the lower torso. She asked if she could white out and resend. I requested a new form to be completed....

Geez, this is just so frustrating!! I'm taking deep breaths, deep breaths..
The ignorance is just beyond annoying, especially from a trained professional!!

Thanks for letting me vent!!! XOX!

[chaya]

sorry you had to go through this...

As always, you are a great mom and advocater for your daughter.

-C-

[NancyR]

Thank you Chaya!! XOX!! N

[LandB]

OK, that is not only infuriating from a SN parent perspective, it is terrifying from a patient care perspective. Who can possibly finish nursing school (and, like, *be* a nurse) thinking that CP is a psych/behavioral diagnosis and *not* a physical one?! I would seriously consider alerting the ped to this ignorance. It's scary!

Setting aside the medical care issue, it upsets me that so many people lump all people with disabilities together, like a big undifferentiated set of "can't." "Cerebral palsy" sounds the same to many people's ears as "autism" or "cognitive impairment" or "bipolar disorder." Those people don't bother getting to know our kiddos or adults with disabilities. That a nurse would succumb to the same ignorance is doubly disappointing!

HUGS.

Lisa

[trek]

sorry that happened!

[NancyR]

Thanks Ladies!! It's just so sad and upsetting and... especially since the nurse had just met Leela... ugh!!

I did send a very nice response to the nurse, educating her about the dx... she thanked me for educating her about dd's diagnosis...

This is the hard part, on top of everything else to deal with ignorance...

Thank you and XOX!! N

[psilverman]

Honestly? I mean, come on!

I appreciate that you are nice and she was seemingly gracious, but like Leela really needs that in her life -- especially from people who should know better. Well, I guess we educate one person at a time sometimes.

[NancyR]

Yep, we do educate one person at a time.. I'm so over it, to be honest though...

Thanks again! N