Who do we believe?

[Guest guest]

My daughter is 14 and has been troubled by Chronic Fatigue/ME for three years.

This takes the form of regular viruses and infections (particularly ear

infections) which lay her very low. On the other hand she does manage to

function on a day to day basis. She is learning guitar, will walk a mile

(although tired afterwards) and enjoys the odd concert, listens to a lot of

music, surfs the internet etc.

We have tried many different approaches with varying degrees of success.

We were referred to a homoepathic doctor by a psychiatrist and we also seem to

finally have a GP who understands the condition. Both these doctors recommend

not pushing my daughter but trying to encourage her up to what she feels like

doing and then allowing rest.

The educational psychologist who deals with my daughter (she has been absent

from school for much of the three years) seems to think that a more rigid regime

is required and that we should set deadines for my daughter's return to school.

He is therefore at odds somewhat with the medical advice.

My daughter says that the doctor (GP) and homoepathic doctor both understand

what she's going through. She feels pressured by the psychologist.

The psychologist says that my daughter is favouring the docs because they are

telling her what she wants to hear and that she will never inmprove without some

effort on her part to meet his deadlines to return to school (several of which

have passed)

We are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The psychologist is very

highly qualified (pre eminent in his field) and is our buffer to the education

authorities. The doctors are on the other hand.......doctors. The psychologist

is simply dismissive of the homoepath. He says there is no science to back

homoepathy and that he on the other hand, is employing tried and tested methods.

The GP and the homoepathic doctor seem to be i broad agreement with each other

and the psychologist is almost completely at odds with them.

Like it says on the subject line....Who do we believe?