Dr. Facebook is Not Your Health Professional

Alright this post might offend some of my Facebook friends. But that’s okay. I’m all about speaking my mind. I think I get my bluntness from my Dad.

When our Baby Boy was really sick before Christmas I knew deep in my heart it was RSV. But I wasn’t about to go searching his symptoms on Google or asking by FB friends. Because here’s the problem with that… you will get every story, disease, illness under the moon – even the ones that haven’t been discovered yet!

Have you seen the movie “He Just Not That Into You”? Justin Long’s character is explaining to Ginnifer Goodwin’s character the rules of men. How if a guy doesn’t call you back then he’s just not that into you. Or if a guy acts like he doesn’t care then he genuinely doesn’t care about you. Gennifer’s character is good because she then goes on to say well she knew a friend whose cousin met a guy that didn’t call back for one month and now they are happily married with kids. Justin Long just simply says “that’s the exception, not the rule.” You are not the exception to the rule.

You may be thinking how does this movie relate to Dr. Facebook? … well it does. Because your child’s sickness is probably not the exception. Meaning it might be a simple cold, but you don’t know for sure. You need to talk to an actual doctor. And if for some reason your FB friends with a real doctor then I hope you are good enough friends to have their number so you could just call and ask. Most doctors aren’t going to do a diagnosis over status update.

That’s the rule.

So before you go typing away how your kids poop is yellow and they haven’t eaten in two days, maybe you should save your time and take them to the emergency room or urgent care. Just a thought.

J gets a little overwhelmed when he tries to look symptoms up online. He usually ends up thinking he has a tumor or some sort of incurable disease. So I have to play the cool cucumber when Baby Boy gets sick and just call the doctor myself. I can’t get sucked in to googling every little thing. Especially when it’s your child involved. Because if I was coughing with a low grade fever then I assume it’s a cold and I would take a swig of Dayquil and go about my day. But if it’s Baby Boy that has a cough and low-grade fever then I feel like my world is crumbling down.

Before I go asking online what could be wrong, I ask myself if I really want to read other people’s responses. Because they could have been the exception to the rule and my kid will be the rule. Their kid could have ended up in the hospital when mine just needs Tylenol. Their kid could have also had their symptoms longer or have more symptoms then they remember. Who knows.

But please, people for all that is sane stop posting medical questions on Facebook. Just call the doctor or take your kid to see one.