Daycare baby and shaking... (need quick advice)

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I have a six month old daycare baby.

For the last month she has been shaking slightly. Not all the time, but on and off through the day.

THe parents took her to the doctor, and he said it was just a habit, and he saw nothing wrong with her.

She's alert, happy, silly, right where she should be in every way.

But, this moring, she was shaking worse than normal. Instead of her usual shivering shake, it was slightly more violent.

WHen she eats, it stops completely for a few hours. It's always been that way. She shakes, we feed her, and the shaking stops.

I called her mom and told her I am not comfortable with this at all and I wanted her to come get her and take her back to the doctor.

The mom wants to take her to see a neurologist, but without the DR's O.K, the insurance will not allow it.

How can mom MAKE the doctor give a reccomendation without seeming too pushy. She's really worried about being pushy. (I have no idea why)

Need ideas quickly, as her appointment is in two hours.

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BTW, I suggested bursting into tears. Usually crying works.

[Jennifer3141]

Tell the woman to tell her doctor that the baby's daycare provider is not willing to take baby until this has been investigated. You do not want a child in your care that is having some sort of serious health problem that has gone untreated - it's not worth the risk to you.

Talk with the mama beforehand. Reassure her that you know she's not doing anything wrong. And encourage her to get second and third opinions!

[clutterbug]

Gosh, that sounds unnerving! I don't really know how to insist without seeming pushy, but if she has to get pushy, she should be - if her gut feeling is that it should be checked, she should go with it and not care whether her ped/family doc is offended. Maybe try the "I'm quite worried that this is persistent" angle...? Is it possible the shaking could also be blood sugar related - maybe she should have that checked as well?

[clutterbug]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial

BTW, I suggested bursting into tears. Usually crying works.

Excellent idea!

[Super Glue Mommy]

i agree with the idea to have her tell the dr she needs a note from a nuerologist saying that everything has been checked out and that the baby is either okay or is being treated, so she wanted to get a referral so she could get that taken care of right away as she needs her daughter to be able to attend daycare so she can work, finding another daycare isnt an option, and that to be honest she herself is becomming very concerned.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Originally Posted by Super Glue Mommy

i agree with the idea to have her tell the dr she needs a note from a nuerologist saying that everything has been checked out and that the baby is either okay or is being treated, so she wanted to get a referral so she could get that taken care of right away as she needs her daughter to be able to attend daycare so she can work, finding another daycare isnt an option, and that to be honest she herself is becomming very concerned.

:

also maybe helping her feel empowered by telling her that her doctor "works for her" etc.

[ewe+lamb]

From my experience this sounds like diabetes type 1 - this is life threatening - I would suggest this to the mother and have her dd's blood glucose checked out - then take it from there.

[mytwogirls]

See a doctor until they will give a referral. This does not sound very normal, I am shocked a doc will not give a referral if it is possibly neurological???

[tinyblackdot]

that is crazy! all i have ever had to do is just hint at the idea of seeing a specialist and my dr gets me a referral asap. Has she asked the dr?

I always just call the receptionist and have one of them fax over a referral to the dr.....they always do it with no questions asked.

[MtBikeLover]

We had an issue one time where our ped would not give us the referral for something for our DS. We switched our doctor immediately and went for a second opinion. The new ped gave us the referral we wanted.

Beyond getting pushy, since she isn't willing to do it, I would suggest that she go see another ped ASAP if they don't give her a referral today.

Another option would be to take the baby to the ER the next time the shaking starts. For me personally, I have gotten some of the best care in the ER. She will have to pay the ER fee (in my case it is $75) but it would be money well spent in my opinion.

By the way, if you are seen in the ER and you have an HMO, you will be seen by specialists and you don't need referrals for this. I went to the ER with a kidney stone and the urologist was called. I continued to see the urologist through the whole treatment and follow-ups and never needed a referral from my primary.

[becoming]

That sounds super scary. I personally wouldn't want to be responsible for that child until a diagnosis is made and steps are taken to correct this health problem.

If the baby's mother asks her doctor for a referral to a neurologist and he refuses, she needs to find a new doctor. Our pediatrician will give us any referral we feel necessary. (So far he's given us referrals to an allergist and a pulmonologist with no questions asked.)

[NYCVeg]

Tell her to go to another doctor immediately. Do you have a pediatrician or GP that you could recommend to her?

If a serious problem is found, I suggest she file a complain against the original pediatrician (and I come from a family with many doctors in it, so I'm certainly not generally on the "all doctors are evil" bandwagon).

ETA: I'm completely baffled by the idea that the doctor won't give her a referral--I've never heard of such a thing. He has nothing to lose by doing so, but much to lose if he doesn't and ends up being wrong. Moreover, given the fact that eating improves the baby's condition, it seems very clear that there's a physiological basis for the shaking, and that it's not just "habit." And what on earth does it mean for a 6-month-old to get into the "habit" of shaking anyway? She needs a new doctor, and not just for the referral.

Please update us on this.

[lauratheexplorer]

Originally Posted by ewe+lamb

From my experience this sounds like diabetes type 1 - this is life threatening - I would suggest this to the mother and have her dd's blood glucose checked out - then take it from there.

I was thinking the same thing.. shaking stops after eating. Low sugars could cause trembling, etc.

[veganone]

I agree that it sounds like a blood sugar issue of some sort. I agree with crying and would also say that the daycare provider is refusing to care for her without a diagnosis and okay from the doctor along with how to manage the shaking. Insisting on a diagnosis means he can't just say "habit", which sounds crazy to me anyway.

I would tell her to call her insurance and tell them that the doctor is witholding a necessary referral for a scary medical condition in an infant. I've had good luck with getting an immediate referral and switch in PCP by going directly to the insurance company.

Or go to the ER directly.

She could always describe the shaking as a "seizure" even if that's a bit of a stretch, too. I'm all for exaggerating symptoms to get treatment when the doctor isn't taking you seriously.

[Dabble]

Absolutely she needs to be evaluated. Tell the mom to make you the bad guy - say that you absolutely will not have her in your care until she is under the care of a doctor for the shaking episodes.

And I agree that it is a huge liability to have a child in your care who has a mysterious ailment that is not being treated by a doctor.

[Juvysen]

Sounds like a blood sugar issue to me... I'd push for the second opinion.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by Jennifer3141

Tell the woman to tell her doctor that the baby's daycare provider is not willing to take baby until this has been investigated. You do not want a child in your care that is having some sort of serious health problem that has gone untreated - it's not worth the risk to you.

This is a great idea. All true, and the doctor will have to cave!

[MOMYS]

Please keep us posted!

[nummies]

Yes to all the PP.

She needs to be seen.