The first step in resolving a physical ailment is to get an accurate diagnosis. Once people in North Adams know exactly what is causing them pain or illness, they can begin to put together a treatment plan with their doctors. Failure to make an accurate diagnosis not only delays proper treatment, but it can also mean someone is subjected to medications or procedures that are unnecessary. A 6-year-old girl is all too familiar with the consequences of a misdiagnosis.
The young girl spent three months in pain as her mother tried to get an accurate diagnosis from physicians. Eventually, her condition was resolved when she underwent an operation in which a physician had to fill a racquetball-sized aneurysm in her mouth with coils and then rebuild a damaged artery. While the girl is fine today, the physician noted that the issue could have become fatal quickly.
The aneurysm actually went undetected for six months, as it occurred after surgeons injured one of the girl’s arteries during a tonsillectomy. One day, the girl began throwing up blood, prompting her mother to take her to the hospital. Doctors gave the woman diagnosis after diagnosis, including chalking the episode up to allergies, mumps, migraines and gastritis. Another physician said he believed the girl had a tumor in her throat and wanted to operate.
According to the National Center for Policy Analyses, a physician misdiagnosing a condition is a serious problem, and in 28 percent of such instances, the error is life-threatening and even deadly. Anyone who has experienced a worsened condition due to medical negligence should consult with an attorney.
Source: WeareCentralPA.com, “A Misdiagnosis Endangers a Little Girl’s Life,” May 6, 2014
