An article published Sept. 16 in the New York Times reveals that medical mistakes caused by doctor negligence have more serious consequences in children than adults. A study published in April’s Journal Pediatrics noted that 11 percent of children that are hospitalized face problems due to medications and of those, 22 percent of them are preventable.
Medical mistakes are more harmful to children than adults because their kidneys, livers and immune systems are still developing. The smallest increase in medication can have long-term, damaging effects, especially in premature babies.
Mistakes in the amount of medication given to a child often occur because, while adult medications have standardized doses and are often prepackaged, pediatric medications vary based on the child’s weight and height. Miscalculations have been made numerous times, a sometimes fatal error that could have been prevented with more caution.
Misdiagnosis of Child Patients
Studies have revealed that misdiagnosis is common among children and has led to the development of serious illnesses and in some cases death. A recent study on child medical malpractice suits revealed that the most common misdiagnosed conditions among children are meningitis and appendicitis.
Leaders in the medical field argue that medical mistakes can and should be prevented. They are encouraging doctors and their medical teams to take a “time-out” before operating to ensure they have the right patient, the correct procedure and the correct body part. The same argument goes for distributing medications, especially when it comes to young patients.
Parents Need to Do Their Part
Because children often have a hard time communicating, parents need to be the eyes, ears and advocates for their children.
“Parents have to pay attention and speak up,” said Dr. Steve Selbst, professor of pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, who conducted the study on malpractice suits. “You know your child, and if you feel something’s wrong, go up the chain of command.”