The diagnostic process is complex. Health care professionals can sometimes arrive at an affirmative diagnosis by validating the presence of a specific injury or pathogen. Other times, health care professionals reach a diagnosis due to exclusion. They may conduct tests to rule out certain explanations for symptoms and then diagnose a patient based on what potential explanations remain.
Unfortunately, doctors are not always as diligent as they should be even when the possibility for an affirmative diagnosis exists. Doctors may send patients home without medication and may provide instructions to use over-the-counter solutions to control their symptoms. In some cases, a doctor’s dismissive attitude can lead to the progression of an otherwise treatable childhood illness. Parents coping with the unexpected progression of what initially seemed like a minor illness may need to hold the doctor accountable for medical malpractice.
Strep throat can turn into something far worse
Many school-age children contract strep throat at least a few times from their exposure at school. Strep throat is highly infectious and tends to spread quickly in school and daycare environments. It is also treatable with basic antibiotics.
However, doctors need to conduct culture tests to verify the presence of the bacteria that causes strep throat. If doctors do not conduct that testing as they should, they might send a patient home to receive treatment as though they have a basic viral cold. The results of that oversight on the part of the physician can be quite severe.
Left untreated, strep throat can evolve into scarlet fever. A century ago, scarlet fever was a leading cause of death among minor children. The likelihood of a child dying from scarlet fever in the modern world is minor. However, scarlet fever can cause permanent damage to the heart and kidneys if a child does not receive proper diagnosis and treatment. Children can even develop infections in their brains in some cases.
Given how simple it is to test for and treat strep throat, doctors should assertively seek to diagnose or rule out strep throat before determining that a child’s symptoms are merely the result of a viral infection. Families coping with permanent injuries caused by scarlet fever may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
A doctor’s diagnostic failure can have major consequences. When doctors don’t follow best practices, they may be legally and financially liable for the harm that results from their negligence.