to feel devastated about my baby nieces teeth and the treatment of sister

[LittleMrsHappy]

My d (n)iece got took to A&E yesterday, due to pain my sister just couldn't find, and dn (3) just said her face hurt, got seen by the Dr who said her teeth were disgraceful, which my sister already knew, as dn was in a coma and with all the tubes, drugs, etc... left her teeth in a very poor state, BUT m sister was told by the dental hospital, that as they were all dead (8 teeth) and no nerve ending, then they were not going to extract them as dn, does not cope well with General Anesthetic (last few times she has been down, she arrested) but due to dn pain, it was not considered urgent.

So she was at Yorkhill hospital yesterday, awaiting surgery and she was going to be 1st down, and this "Dr" said to sister how can anybody allow their child's teeth to get into this state, sister tried to explain that it was this hospital who allowed her teeth to get this bad (they could have prevented this apparently, but sister did not care, as she still had her dd alive due to them) when they saved her life in Jan 2008 due to 3rd degree burns, but the Dr just grunted.

Anyway, dn was supposed to be 1st to go down to surgery, and when getting her pre check, the Dr asked if she has any skin grafts and was she on any creams or medication and also has she ever come into contact with MRSA (dn has MRSA strains 15 and 16, and is in black notes on the top of her file) and any other super bugs that they know off, again she has, which are noted on her file.

At this point my sister and her husband asked the "DR" to leave the room and for somebody who was competent in doing their job properly, to come and speak to them.

A senior Dr came in and asked what the problem was, and sister stated X,Y,Z and that she was unhappy that someone was preforming a procedure on her child, when it is serious due to dn reaction to GA, if he cant be bothered to read her notes, then how can they be certain that he is component, if he cant even read a file, and be so judgemental in basically saying the are negligent parents.

New Dr read notes and cause of the MRSA and other super bugs dn had to go last.

So not only did this Dr be rude and unprofessional and also incompetant in the care of DN, he was also potentially going to put other lives at risk by having dn go in surgery first.

sister is angry and upset, over their treatment, and is wanting to put a official complaint in about her treatment.

YANBU at all. How unpleasant to be so judgemental!

Sadly, some doctors let their position of authority go to their head and forget themselves. Lucky your dsis and BIL are able to stand up for themeselves and their dd.

Hope all is well for her.

That does sound appalling, I don't blame your sister for wanting to complain - she should!

Maybe the doctor just thought it was a routine extraction operation? That's no excuse for not reading her notes though. Or maybe it was the anaesthetist (sp) who was asking routine questions?

I am surprised her teeth weren't extracted earlier - are they rotten?

Your sister could contact PALS.

Complain!!

IME that is very unusual for Yorkhill, they are usually a fantastic hospital. They will certainly want to know about this.

Your sister was treated terribly & I think she should complain too.

But I do wonder about her teeth....I am assuming your dn was nil by mouth while in the coma, and tubes wouldn't cause dental decay...unless there is something else I don't know about....

They didn't extract them earlier as they did not want to put her under GA, due to her reaction of GA, and because she had arrested 2, out of the 5 times she went under, and also because the teeth were not causing her any problems, they did not want to risk her having another GA, as they didn't know if her body could undertake anymore extensive treatment.

Her teeth are not rotton, the are brown due to the drugs killing the nerves in the teeth.

Yorkhill hospital was fabolous, when she was in ICU, HDU,and also the burns unit, and also in the care she still receives now, as she needs skin grafts and physiotherapy weekly.

Was she Ok going down for GA yesterday?

Hope she gets well soon.

Ive not heard yet as I live 250 miles away from them, I phoned my mum and sisters MIL, and no one answering the phone, but I do think its just because they are all busy, mum moving house, MIL working and sister phone was dying yesterday, was going to phone Yorkhill yesterday, but dont know what ward she is under x (not that I need the ward number tho) x

Also dn was still not down at 10pm last night, so if they are asleep I dont want to wake them x

Your sister was treated appallingly imo.
The only thing I would say is that sometimes questions are asked as a "double check" or in case things have changed since notes were made.
But that in no way excuses the fact that the Dr should have known way your nieces are the way they are.

I´m confused by this though "(they could have prevented this apparently, but sister did not care, as she still had her dd alive due to them)"

Sightly OT-but the school dentist sent a letter to my parents saying all my teeth were bad & would have to come out-my first teeth had no enamel at the bottom!-permanent teeth are fine.

That should have been why your nieces teeth are as they are!

Erm the only thing I would say is are you SURE he wasn't asking the questions to DOUBLE CHECK what was on the notes were correct and that nothing had been missed out. Also is there any chance your sister might have been overly-stresed about the fact your DN was having another operation and therefore might have been overly-senstive to what the Dr was saying?

He shouldn't have made any comment to the nurse about the state of the teeth.

Sister is extremely stressed, so yes it could possibly be.

By the above quote, my sister did not care about the state of her dd teeth as simply yorkhill hospital saved her dd life, she didn't care that they did not put the protective gum on her teeth, due to the drugs she was on, which some had to go through her throat, due to no vein access, because of the burns. (sorry trying not to get people stressed by her injuries) which killed the nerve ending.

According to sister, he had the notes in his hands, but was not doubling checking, was asking as he didn't know x

Honestly what is it with me lately, my typing is appalling.

"double"

He shouldn't have made comments about the state of her teeth but maybe having come up against negligent parents day after day he is slightly worn down.

I think people seem to forget while they have such fantastic free healthcare in this country that most doctors are not trained in customer service and are very busy, often very tired and very stressed about what they come up against each day and throw nervous parents into the mix and things can get strained from both sides when in normal circumstances they shouldn't be.

I am higly allergic to latex and during labour had countless people walk in slapping on their gloves and all we had to do was be vigilant and warn them not to go near me or things could get very scarey - too often people sit their and watch doctors do things or hear them say things and they don't say anything but are extremely angry afterwards - you have to do your bit and you have to realise that doctors are humans not GODS (although given they often act like it) - and maybe saying what you said about this doctor was not quite the right way to go about it - if he had been the only surgeon operating that day would they have been happy to go back on the waiting list and wait for another surgeon rather than being adult and just talking about things? He was probably old school who is fantastic at his job but not great at the people side of things - anhd no that should not be the case but they aren't going to get anywhere bandying about - I want someone who can do their job properly in today's NHS.

OP-should they have used the protective gum as a matter of course or was it your sister´s decision?

Madame apparently he was new, but yes my sister does want someone who can do their job properly in today's NHS, their is nothing wrong with that, Im in a high stressed profession, but I still have to be competent in my work. being stressed in a job, and being deliberated by your case loads is no excuse for me personally, I see and do it most days.

I cannot get personal, I would loved to with the scum I see daily, but it is not my jobsworth to do so.

I can only go by my sister, but I too would be worried if a Dr preforming surgery on my child, did not read her notes, especially when she carries MRSA, and can potentially put other children at risk, my sister asked for a side room, as let them know her dd is a risk to the ward, but yet he still asked some silly questions.

I don't think protective gum would have helped if the nerves in the teeth were dead. As I understand the teeth are just discoloured due to the nerves dying, rather than rotten with decay?

They should have, due to the drugs but apparently they forgot, due to all of her treatment, and it was not important at that stage apparently. (not completely sure, the ins and outs, but I know they should have used the gum)

Fanjo, the gum would have prevented the teeth nerves from dying, due to the drugs used.

oh I see. Well, it WAS important, clearly. Are you sure the Dr was referring to your sister when he said "some people" let teeth get really bad, and not the other doctors?

I cant be sure of anything, I was not their, just re iterating (is that correct) what my sister feels she went through by the Dr.

Yes, I understand, just hoping maybe it wasn't as harsh as it sounded.

Are her teeth stained brown, or is is decay?

The teeth are like this the 2nd picture