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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffStart by making an appointment with your child's doctor if your child has signs or symptoms that worry you. You may be referred to a digestive disorders specialist called a gastroenterologist or to an emergency department if your child's symptoms are severe.
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your child's appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready, and what to expect from the doctor.
What you can do
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything your child needs to do in advance.
- Write down any symptoms your child is experiencing, including details about how often your child has a bowel movement and what his or her stools are like.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent changes in your child's life. Also include your child's diet and exercise habits.
- Make a list of your child's key medical information, including other conditions he or she is being treated for and the names of any medications, vitamins or supplements your child is taking.
- Write down questions to ask your child's doctor.
Your time with your child's doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
For Hirschsprung's disease, some basic questions to ask your child's doctor include:
- What is likely causing my child's symptoms or condition?
- Are there any other possible causes for these symptoms or condition?
- Do you think my child's condition is temporary or chronic?
- What kinds of tests does my child need?
- What treatment do you recommend?
- If you recommend surgery, what should I expect from my child's recovery?
- What is the risk of complications from surgery?
- What is my child's long-term prognosis after surgery?
- Will my child need to follow a special diet?
- Are there any other restrictions that my child will need to follow?
- My child has these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:
- When did your child first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your child's symptoms stayed the same or gotten worse?
- How often does your child have a bowel movement?
- Are your child's bowel movements painful?
- Are your child's stools loose? Do they contain blood?
- Has your child been vomiting?
- Does your child tire easily?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your child's symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your child's symptoms?
- Has anyone else in your family been diagnosed with Hirschsprung's disease?
- What medications is your child taking?
- Is there any history of thyroid, parathyroid or glandular disease in your family?
What you can do in the meantime
Call your child's doctor immediately if your child shows any signs of intestinal infection or blockage, such as fever, a swollen abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding from the rectum or fatigue. Talk to your child's doctor before making any changes to your child's diet.
- What I need to know about Hischsprung disease. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Wyllie R. Motility disorders and Hirschsprung disease. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Kahn E, et al. Anatomy, histology, embryology and development anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Philichi L. When the going gets tough: Pediatric constipation and encopresis. Gastroenterology Nursing. 2008;31:121.
- Nutrition therapy for constipation. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
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