If there's one issue the lay media has to get its collective head around, it's that by not making a definitive diagnosis, a doctor hasn't made a 'misdiagnosis'.
Generally, the former will result in a vigilant parent and doctor, whereas the latter will more likely prompt inappropriate monitoring and treatment.
Take for instance the Sydney girl pictured on page 13 of this week's Sun Herald with the caption, "Close call: Brittany Pine, 7, with her mother Kristy, is lucky to be alive after her GP misdiagnosed her symptoms".
At a glance, you'd think the GP endangered this young girl's life. But closer scrutiny reveals that although Brittany's GP entertained the subsequently incorrect diagnosis of measles, they had a sufficiently open mind to send her directly to the ED. In short, they recognised a sick girl when they saw one and managed her totally appropriately. In all likelihood, they saved her life.
This knee-jerk 'blame the doctor' type story doesn't do the public any favours, and ironically increases the likelihood that serious acute illness will be missed. By promoting the idea that parents need only see a doctor to ensure the safety of a sick child, is a dangerous message.
Sick kids can deteriorate quickly, and regardless of a doctor's skills, a one-off visit gives merely a snapshot of the course of an illness. Sometimes that consultation is just too early, and the possible diagnoses extensive.
The best way to keep kids safe is to empower and educate parents to monitor their children rather than rely on a one-off doctor's appointment.
Unfortunately captions like this one send precisely the opposite message.