My 12-year-old son recently complained of pain during urination with a whitish penile discharge. Our family doctor sent a swap of the discharge to the laboratory and the result came back with a diagnosis of gonorrhoea. I have been disheartened since then because I have always trusted my son. He insisted he is still a virgin. Could the doctor have made a mistake in the diagnosis? Is there a way I can seek a second opinion?
Lizzy (by SMS)
Cases abound of wrong diagnosis due to contamination from laboratories, use of obsolete reagents or wrong procedure. If you have not yet treated the ailment and your son is still discharging, you can send another sample of the swap to another laboratory for a second opinion. If not, treat your son for gonorrhoea and give him a thorough sex education. In addition, you should monitor his movements and peers.