Updated: June 18, 2014
Originally Published: February 4, 2010
Spending hours in the waiting room for a pediatrician is an experience many parents can relate to. I’m not certain if this delay is typical across all practices or just ours. Perhaps there’s an unspoken belief that parents of young children, who still require a pediatrician, aren’t exactly known for punctuality, so the clinic operates on a more relaxed schedule.
Recently, I found myself in the waiting room with my daughter, Emily, before her six-month checkup. She was comfortably nestled in her car seat while I gradually succumbed to a trance induced by the endless reruns of a classic children’s show playing on the small television in the corner. “Of course we can be friends, Fred,” I thought, half-asleep in my own world.
Just as I was drifting off, another mother entered the waiting area, cradling her baby, who looked to be about the same age as Emily. After exchanging the usual pleasantries—such as the weather and our babies’ ages—we began talking about how adorable our little ones were. Then, I noticed her rocking her baby’s car seat with remarkable enthusiasm, causing the baby to squeal and giggle in delight.
Impressed by her creativity, I decided to attempt something similar with Emily’s car seat resting on my lap, but to my dismay, it was met with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Emily’s expression suggested she couldn’t care less about my efforts.
As I continued to wait, I noticed something unusual on the top part of Emily’s left ear—a tiny, pencil-eraser-sized mark. My immediate thought was that surely if my child had a hole in her ear, someone would have pointed it out by now. I took a closer look, my head nearly buried in her car seat, and it suddenly occurred to me that the other mother and her child had moved further away, perhaps sensing my growing concern.
Upon closer inspection, I realized that the mark was not a hole but rather dried blood. A wave of relief washed over me, quickly followed by a surge of panic. Dried blood is certainly not a reassuring discovery! How could I leave the hospital with my baby only to find this?
Emily, however, seemed unfazed by my investigation. She was too busy inspecting her hands, as if admiring a recent manicure. Despite the blood being located high on her ear, I didn’t believe she was in any pain.
As we continued waiting for the pediatrician, I wrestled with whether or not to mention my discovery. If I revealed that I had only just noticed it, would he think I was a negligent parent? If I claimed I had seen it earlier but did nothing, would that also reflect poorly on me? And what if he found it himself? I opted for honesty, excluding the part about initially mistaking it for a hole, as I wanted to avoid making the situation worse.
When the pediatrician arrived, he examined Emily’s ear and seemed completely unperturbed. “Oh, I bet she just scratched herself with one of her nails. Look, she’s about to do it again,” he said, pointing out Emily tugging at her other ear. “This happens frequently,” he reassured me.
I like to think that the pediatrician’s subsequent inquiries regarding lead paint in our home were standard protocol during six-month checkups and not solely directed at me.
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In summary, waiting for the pediatrician can lead to unexpected moments of concern and self-reflection. It’s a reminder that parenting is a journey filled with surprises, and honesty is often the best approach when navigating the challenges that arise.
Keyphrase: Anticipating the Pediatrician’s Visit
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