WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KDVR) — Mariah Fernandez said there is no way to describe the joy her 9-month-old son Messiah brings her family.
“You can’t get enough of him, really,” she said.
She and the baby’s father became concerned on Oct. 10 after discovering a soft area on her child’s head.
“It was squishy, so I had Chris feel it. He noticed it was super squishy too, and instantly we panicked,” she said.
2 hospitals, 2 opinions
Messiah’s parents rushed him to Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge where, according to paperwork she was issued, the staff provided a thorough examination, instructed her to visit the pediatrician in the morning and told her to return to the hospital immediately if any additional symptoms developed.
Fernandez’s instruction sheet shows the diagnosis was a cephalohematoma, a head injury linked to childbirth.
Fernandez decided to get a second opinion at Children’s Hospital the next morning.
“Immediately took him in and gave him CAT scans, did bloodwork, like they went above and beyond for him, and I’m so grateful for that,” she said.
The diagnosis is listed as a minor skull fracture.
“He’s going to be fine, just to let the swelling go down in seven days,” Fernandez said.
SCL Health releases statement
The Problem Solvers reached out to SCL Health, which provided us with the following statement:
“In accordance with federal privacy regulations, hospitals are not permitted to acknowledge the existence of a patient relationship or disclose patient health information to third parties.
We can state that quality care is the top priority at Lutheran Medical Center, now part of Intermountain Healthcare. We strive to maintain an environment where all patients are seen as soon as possible by physicians who offer thorough diagnosis and treatment options as well as follow-up care instructions.”
SCL Health
Fernandez said she wanted a more in-depth examination of her child. Medical experts say physicians have different approaches to diagnosing illness and injury.
Fernandez wants other parents to always consider a second opinion, especially when it comes to a head injury.
“Go with your gut feeling, because if you feel like something is what it is and (not) what they’re telling you, go get a second opinion on it, because that was the case for my son,” she said.