Grandmothers Against Pediatricians. Who Wins?
Grandmothers have a remedy for all baby ills, they also have an opinion and undoubtedly a complaint about the pediatrician’s recommendations. They tend to take as a reference those times when this was not done or that was what worked; Although it seems out of logic, mothers may end up taking the advice of the grandmother instead of the pediatrician.
In most cases, children’s health problems are usually resolved with the pediatrician; But, if it were up to the grandmothers, maybe they wouldn’t exist. We frequently refer to “grandmother’s remedies”, which are those home solutions to common ailments in children; but these are not always accepted by pediatricians.
We know that home-made alternatives can be very effective, that is why they have been passed from generation to generation with great agreement; however, there are cases where it is best to go to the doctor. In this sense, the main thing is to be aware that despite the experience of the grandmothers, the pediatrician could have the last word.
However, what happens when grandmothers deny most of the claims of specialists? Just as we receive advice that we have not asked for, we may find ourselves in the need to make a decision about it. Grandmothers have a very important role in the education of their grandchildren, but parents have the final will in these cases.
When pediatricians are wrong
Despite advances in health, we still have an obstacle in terms of diagnosis and treatment, as the results continue to be human interpretation. It is for this reason that sometimes doctors could be wrong in their conclusions about a disease ; There may also be errors in the indication of treatment.
Pediatricians’ mistakes are the reason why grandmothers distrust them most of the time; however, for parents to acknowledge the mistake does not win grandmother. Advice on the veracity of the results or the effectiveness of such a drug, it is a standard procedure in grandmothers, who wins this battle?
Daily we learn of medical errors that may have compromised children’s health ; for example, when ibuprofen is mistakenly indicated for chickenpox. Some time ago the administration of aspirin to children under 12 years of age was contraindicated, but until then it was the drug most used in case of fever or pain in children.
Remedies from grandmothers and pediatricians can coexist
Experts know that it is no surprise to find cases already treated at home in their consultations. In this regard, they recognize that children’s illnesses often appear at dawn when it is not possible to promptly go to the pediatrician ; If fever or abdominal pain occurs, the cause must be identified, but to alleviate it, you can go to your grandmother’s recipe.
In the case of new parents, the child’s illness represents a major distress, so the experience of the grandmother continues to be the main help. For specialists, many home remedies are effective in alleviating certain symptoms, especially when the doctor is not available; however, they recommend that you only proceed in this way in intermediate periods until consulting the specialist.
Pediatricians affirm that it is worth keeping in mind the recommendations of grandmothers, especially for emergencies. According to experts, most home remedies end up being safe for children, but they warn against long-term use and lack of medical review.
Another professional opinion suggests that the homemade prescription only be taken as an alternative when the doctor has previously made a diagnosis, this to avoid possible complications. For example, a bath is very effective to reduce fever; but, if we do not know the cause of this symptom, we could harm the child in case of lung diseases.
So, grandmother’s remedies can be applied to alleviate ailments, as long as the child has been reviewed by the pediatrician and we have a diagnosis. Symptomatic treatment can also be accepted in an emergency before going to the doctor, but only when waiting for the time to treat it.
