By Gillian Constantino on May 14, 2026 Verified by Google

My friend brought her nonverbal 3-year-old to this pediatrician after a toe injury. He had a concerning red line traveling up his foot toward his leg, which can be a sign of something serious. The doctor reportedly said she didn’t see a cut and simply told them to “watch the line,” without thoroughly examining the toe to identify a possible wound, despite the child being nonverbal and unable to explain pain or symptoms.

A few hours later, the child vomited, the red line worsened, and a cut was found on the bottom of the toe. When my friend called back for guidance, she felt dismissed and was told to continue monitoring or go to urgent care.

What is most upsetting is the feeling that the child was not thoroughly assessed during the visit. Parents bring their children to a pediatrician for careful evaluation, especially when a young child cannot communicate what hurts. This experience left my friend feeling unheard, unsupported, and scared during a situation that later seemed more serious than initially treated. These “doctors” and “nurses” should be ashamed of themselves.