Doctor Visit

Sunday morning Micah tripped and fell. He cried a little more than usual, but that was it. Since then his left foot has been turned out and he limps. This is the same limp that I saw twice while we were on NerdFiesta in January, and I linked it with extended riding in the sling on my back. I figured it extended his hip so much it got sore. Both times the limp disappeared overnight. Well, this limp has been here for three full days and shows no signs of disappearing.

Yesterday we took him to the doctor. The doctor pooh-poohed our concerns! He said that kids don't walk well until they're three, and their feet can point in weird directions and its all good. Of course I understand that babies don't walk like adults, and I might even let the foot pointing go. But my child is LIMPING. This is not normal, even for a baby who is learning to walk (and Micah has been walking for at least 6 months). He also told me that Micah's socks have been slipping down inside his shoes and that could have caused it. I know for a fact that Micah's socks don't slip down inside his shoes. They just don't. I told him so and he looked at me like I was a liar. Yes he has many years of experience and education and I respect that. But I have spent every day with Micah since he was born (and before!) so don't tell me what I do and don't know about my SON! I have found it so difficult to find a doctor who actually trusts what a parent or patient knows and observes and believes.

There was one more thing. I hope Micah won't be too mad I posted this! Some of you may want to stop reading now, as you may consider this Too Much Information. I hesitated to post this, but it was a pretty major incident to me. It made me so angry I was fuming long after we left the doctor's office. I was upset as much by my own silence as I was by the doctor's actions. During his examination of Micah, the doctor retracted Micah's foreskin. Well, attempted to. Up until that point Micah had been lying quietly. At that point he began crying and resisting. The doctor told me I should be retracting it like that every day in the bath. Inside I was screaming NO! but I couldn't bring myself to contradict him. I knew what I had read but I couldn't prove my information and sources at that moment and I felt so uncomfortable telling this authority figure to stop. Finally he did. I will not let another doctor do that to my son again no matter how uncomfortable I feel.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states: ...foreskin retraction should never be forced. Until the foreskin fully separates, do not try to pull it back. Forcing the foreskin to retract before it is ready can cause severe pain, bleeding, and tears in the skin.