DxDetective case

Continued Fatigue After an Illness

Murtek · Fictional learning case

Source organizations: U.S. government.

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Case overview

Elena Ortiz thought Nico was back to normal. He gets through school one day, runs an errand with her afterward, and says he is fine. The next morning, he leaves his phone facedown and stays in bed while his friends make plans without him. Elena knows not to make too much of one bad day. The trouble is, it is no longer one bad day. At the family clinic, Priya Shah asks Elena to start earlier. “What changed first?” Elena lines up the school days, the errands, the sleep, and the mornings after a busy day. The notes could reveal a pattern. They could also show a family worrying before they have enough to go on. Elena has to decide whether to keep watching, call the clinic back with a clearer account, or act sooner. The case opens before anyone knows which explanation will fit.

Characters

  • Elena Ortiz Nico's parent
  • Nico Ortiz student and Elena's son
  • Priya Shah family clinician

Categories

family caregiver symptom timeline pattern reasoning

Skill focus

illness-to-symptom timeline everyday-function comparison delayed-effort pattern concise communication

Diagnostic option types

timeline questions everyday-function comparisons delayed-pattern observations history review communication preparation