Earlier, I wrote about a frustrating spell with my daughter. These days, she is practically angelic. What a difference the right antibiotic makes.
Just before her third birthday, my daughter had been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. Well, long story short, the antibiotic the doctor had prescribed twice did not work either the first or second time. We were in the doctor’s office three times. The third visit, I questioned the efficacy of that particular antibiotic on the strain of bacteria affecting my daughter. The doctor became quite defensive and said that perhaps my daughter was simply “acting up” because that’s the standard of behavior that “gets attention.” She prescribed Motrin and sent us off.
Not liking that diagnosis or the treatment we got from that doctor, I called a friend, who is the director of a pediatric emergency room. And the nurses on staff at the pediatric ER were able to quickly and efficiently obtain a urine sample. My friend prescribed another antibiotic. And after three weeks of infection, she is finally PAIN-FREE!
These days, my daughter is smiling and so happy that she isn’t feeling any pain, she declares out of the blue: “I’m so happy, Mommy. I’m so happy.” I am, too.
But to see the difference in behavior is a lesson for me. Even though she’s like a little person and she’s much more talkative and verbal these days, I have to remind myself that she’s closer to being a baby than being an adult. How could she feel anything other than rage, frustration, anger, discomfort, and pain when experiencing a urinary tract infection? Why didn’t I understand that right away?
My daughter is strong-willed, at times cheeky, but like most people, she’s happiest when she’s not in pain. And I need to remind myself that sometimes a problem that a child is experiencing is not always behavioral… sometimes it’s medical.
