ChatGPT Helps Woman Diagnose Son's Rare Condition After 17 Doctors Fail

In a striking case that highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, an American mother turned to ChatGPT after 17 doctors failed to diagnose her four-year-old son's mysterious illness. The AI chatbot not only identified the rare condition correctly but also helped the family get the treatment the child urgently needed.

According to a report by TODAY.com, Courtney, the mother of young Alex, had been seeking medical answers for over three years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she began noticing unusual symptoms in her son - from constant toothaches and slowed growth to issues with balance and posture. Despite consulting multiple specialists, no one could offer a definitive diagnosis.

Feeling helpless, Courtney decided to try something different. She uploaded Alex's MRI notes and all his symptoms line by line into ChatGPT. Within seconds, the AI tool suggested a possible condition: Tethered Cord Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects the spinal cord.

Following the AI's recommendation, Courtney joined a Facebook group for parents of children with similar symptoms, which further validated ChatGPT's suggestion. She then approached a new neurosurgeon, who confirmed the diagnosis. Alex later underwent spinal surgery and is now recovering well.

While the story has sparked widespread attention and praise for AI's potential in supporting medical diagnosis, experts caution that tools like ChatGPT should not replace doctors. AI systems, including those developed by tech giants like Google and OpenAI, are still evolving and can sometimes generate inaccurate information - a phenomenon known as "AI hallucination."

However, this case underscores a potential shift in how AI can assist the healthcare sector, especially in flagging rare conditions or offering second opinions. With proper oversight and collaboration, AI could become a valuable ally in improving patient care, particularly in resource-constrained settings like parts of India where access to specialised diagnostics is limited.

As artificial intelligence continues to integrate into everyday life, cases like Alex's raise both hope and questions - could AI someday become a standard tool in every doctor's toolkit? For now, it's a reminder of the technology's promise and its limitations.