Has anyone else had this problem?
Our original pediatrician was no help in steering us toward an ADHD diagnosis, after years of struggles. Through talking to other mothers, I found an awesome pediatrician who was extremely knowledgeable about neurological disorders. I called the office of this doctor to ask about switching to his practice and asked what the first step should be to obtain a diagnosis. The receptionist gave me the name of a reputable psychologist who could do the testing. Since my children were not sick and had already had their annual exams, I did not immediately make an appointment to visit the new pediatrician. Instead, I made an appointment with the psychologist.
We obtained the ADHD diagnosis with a recommendation to medicate my daughter. I then called the new pediatrician to make an appointment, telling them that she had just been diagnosed with ADHD. I was told that this doctor was no longer accepting ADHD patients. If I had made the appointment before the diagnosis, they would have taken us. I then called five other doctors all telling them the same thing and each doctor refused to see my daughter.
I refused to go back to our original doctor who was of absolutely no help through the more than ten years of struggles. I called the psychologist back and explained the problem, asking him if he knew of any physicians who accept ADHD patients. He gave me the name of several doctors who he believed would accept a new ADHD patient. Each office again refused my daughter as a patient when they were told that she was ADHD.
Finally, frustrated and willing to do anything to help my daughter, I waited a month and called back the original doctor who had been so highly recommended and referred us to the psychologist in the first place. I made an appointment, never mentioning ADHD. I played dumb when I got to the office and never mentioned ADHD until the end of the check-up when I pulled out the diagnosis from the psychologist.
At that point, he did not refuse her as a patient. I am wondering if this is an insurance issue for the doctors or maybe a malpractice problem. I don’t know what it is, but if you are moving and need a new doctor for an ADHD child, be sure NOT to tell them about the diagnosis until after you are in the door.
