Be your Child's Health Advocate & your own advocate

I read this article, Be an advocate for your Children's health,  a few days ago.  Click here to read it.  

I was talking to my sister about her being her own advocate in her own health or get someone to go with her to be her advocate.  I agree with this article that we are the most important advocate for our children, but I also think we need to be our own advocate in our own health so we can take care of our children.

I wrote the below paragraph as a comment to the article above:

I don't always feel every disease follows "the guidelines".  There are times where the disease will go outside the "guidelines"  We need to make sure these doctors keep up with the latest techniques.  We have to protect our children.  We are their advocate.  My oldest has a neurological disease called Spastic Paraparesis.  It took 6 years for that diagnosis, but we pushed & pushed to get an accurate diagnosis for her.  You have to for your child.  

Another thing I agree with this article is we do know our children best.  We are with them 24 7.  We are the ones who are with them when they are sick, when they are sad, etc.  We need to fight for them.


One last thing I want to tell you about is a Child Advocate.  We have one to help us with Ashleigh's IEP & she is going to help us with Ashleigh's doctors so they can work together to improve their care for Ashleigh.  Since we received our Child Advocate, we have gotten the reading program for summer for Ashleigh even though the year before our agruments were the same, but with our Child Advocate, we got the reading program.  When Ashleigh's program (Life Skills) moved, our Child Advocate asked questions that we did not think of.  She has been helpful in so many ways.  If you think you need a Child Advocate for your child to help you with his/her IEP or his/her doctors, then find one in your area.  They are worth it.  We do not pay a thing for her. Leave a comment & I will try to help you in any way I can.


Until next time,
Mel