Our last carer was a Paediatrician.  The relationship with him was fine until I educated myself a little more than the normal parent.  At that stage I started playing an active part in what happens to my son.  In my opinion, when you do that (which is your right) and they don’t like it it is tough for them.  Laura hit the nail on the head when she said ego’s were dampened a little.  However, I was extremely polite until the Doctor at the time started to be sarcastic about some of the requests that I had been making with regards Ashley’s care. 

Yes, the relationship could have been better, but I firmly believe that my approach as a parent to the Doctor was correct and that he was putting up walls.  It should be a relationship were ALL partake in what is going on, NOT where a Doctor is pushing you towards a particular treatment.  If the Doctor’s pride is damaged because a parent takes the intiative to learn more about their child’s illness and what is best for them, then there is nothing a parent can do about that.  I did not want to deal with the Doctor after discovering his attitude to new and better ways to deal with Ashley’s dosing to be honest.  In fact, I could not stomach being in the same room as him as I felt he was just being stubborn and I was actually bothered about what I may say after that point.  We visited our GP to change and the hospital here in PN had to fund the care in Wellington and did not like that fact.  They wrote a letter to the effect that should the new Endo feel that the treatment that PN provided was adequate and that he would do things NO differently, that we would have to accept care as it was at PN and the only person to provide such was the Doctor.  (He was not a Paed Endo).  

Where you ae you can pick and choose.  We cannot.  We asked to be referred to Wellington which is the next nearest hospital and there is only ONE Paediatric Endo there--which is the one we have now.  He runs all the bloods he should and does an excellent job so far.  The other Doctor insisted on just running 17 OHP only.  

If we were not happy with this Doctor, the next nearest place for treatment is Auckland.  This is at the top of the north island.  We are in the lower North island.  It is a plane flight, and we would not be covered for travelling costs and are a low income family.  What I am trying to say here is that you have "no choice" and have to get what your given, or find your own way to the alternative, which is NOT always practical.  So, in this sense, you have no choice if you don’t have a good relationship with your Endo---it is tough.  Therefore if there is anything in particular that you would rather be doing with your child and you can prove that it is better for them, you have to be pushy and not really care about ego’s.  If you did, you would feel frustrated and this is not the way it should be.  WE ALL have choices.  There is nothing written in stone as to when the correct time is to dose a child this stuff, except what Mother nature does all by herself for healthy folks. 

The Doctor can either support me and play a part, or feel like his toes were trod on and not like me very much.  Frankly, I’d prefer the former, but if it is the latter, I could not care less--this is my child after all, and I DO have a say in what happens to him.