We took the twins off for their 15 month appointment this morning (Yes, it was delayed, just as their 15 month post was.)
As usual, the twins got their stats checked by a nurse, only this time the nurse had zero bedside manner. Instead of doing anything simple, warm and human, like looking up the names of the twins or our names, she called us Mom and Dad and asked for our names to add to the appointment notes for the doctor. She never seemed to make any eye contact with the twins and just whipped through the initial checkup. It went south very quickly when Logan objected to being treated as a number instead of a tiny, charming person and started crying.
Emma picked up on his fear cry and started crying, too.
I was decidedly unhappy about the impersonal treatment, too. I know that nurses are busy and who knows just what was going on in her life at the moment, but here's the thing: if you are in a service industry, take the time to do it right. She's in a pediatric office, for crying out loud! She could take a moment and warm up the stethoscope, couldn't she? Say hello to the twins before asking them to be unceremoniously stripped down, weighed, measured and temperature checked. Couldn't she? Couldn't she take the 2 minutes it would have taken to have checked out the charts so that she'd know our names and then enter it into the physician's notes? I don't actually expect them to "know" everyone's names, but if you have the technology, I expect you to use it and at least pretend you know who we are and that we're more than just the 9:30 am appointment. We have been going to this office for seven years, after all.
A little warmth and common courtesy goes a long way.
Introducing herself would have automatically given her our names, as we would have returned the...courtesy.
So, anyway, after leaving us with screaming twins and her data, we calmed Emma and Logan down and waited for the doctor. She, by the way, has an excellent bedside manner. Even if she doesn't actually remember us, she acts as if she does and that gives me the feeling that she actually cares about my twins. At the very least, she engages with them, her patients. I took a moment to let her know that I was unhappy with the nurse's lack of bedside manner. I figured if someone never said something (In a nice way, I didn't go all fang-y and claw-y.), the practice would never know and the nurse would never be given the opportunity to improve. Yes, it is an opportunity to improve before you're handed an annual evaluation that says: You suck! Surveys show all of the patients complain about you! Grumble!
OK, rant over.
Data!
Logan
Length: 28.5" ~3rd %ile
Weight: 19lb 7 oz ~3rd %ile
Head: 47cm ~50th %ile (What can I say? Apparently he's got my big head.)
Emma
Length: 29.75" ~25th %ile (Ooh! An inch and a quarter taller than Logan!)
Weight: 19lb 7 oz ~5th %ile (The first time they've ever weighed exactly the same amount.)
Head: 46cm ~50th %ile (The only measurement where she has been consistently smaller than Logan. Again, she's inherited my big head.)
We were again assured that they are doing really well and that they are following along on their own growth curves. Developmentally, they are doing very well, especially in the language area. Also, walking, movement, food, sleep, breastfeeding, and teething (No sign of molars.). Absolutely fine, even if they are still on the small side. So long as Logan continues to follow his own growth curve, she's not concerned at all. However, she did mention that should he continue in this vein that we might want to consider a consult with an endocrinologist and have a look at the potential for using growth hormones.
Interesting. Very, very interesting.
Now, Eric and I do not tower over anyone (Other than his female family members, perhaps.), but we're also not unusually short. Even so, Eric has often commented that he feels being on the short side has had a negative impact on him over the years: socially and job related. Knowing that it actually does have an impact (Study after study shows that shorter men are paid less, regardless of experience.) on men, we may have to make some interesting choices later.
Personally, I hope Logan just goes into a crazy growth spurt and starts eating and growing like mad. Note that we're not particularly concerned about Emma's height. My feminist self is wondering if I should be upset about that or if I'm just glad we're not talking about 2 sets of growth hormone courses.
Sigh!
Do any of you have experience with the GH question? To get the shot or not, that is the question! Or, if you are a short male (Under 5'7" tall.), what has been your experience? I think everyone I know (Both male and female.) always wish they were about 2" taller, but if you could go back and ask your folks for a shot, would you?
5 comments:
First - I always wonder since we're virtually neighbors if we go to the same office. If you do then I know just the nurse you're talking about. And the front end has been giving me grief such that the ped is going to hear about it this afternoon when I take K in for his 9mo appt.
The size/GH thing is really interesting! My kids are tiny. My tallest one hit the 10th percentile for height (waaaaay way below charts for weight). My other 2 are consistently 3rd-5th percentile for height. Our ped has never said anything at all. Maybe she just wants our kids to stay short and unsuccessful!? ;)
How did you and Eric grow? T and I were both small, then ended up normal height, so I'm hoping that, even though our kids are smaller than we ever were, they'll just be late bloomers and grow up to be normal (well, as much as that's possible w/ us as parents...). Maybe that's the difference? Or maybe it's just a difference in HCPs.
Are you crazy? Short men are hot, hot, hot. I love them. I still drool over Dustin Hoffman.
Please, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And if you've got a son that is going to blame his lack of success on his height, he's got way more problems than a deficiency of GH. Better to spend your time and money building up his athletic skills, or any other skills that would give him confidence.
Oh, my goodness, short is so sexy! How can you think otherwise?
(Of course, I'm a towering 4'10" myself...)
Well, you kind of know where I stand with the whole GH issue. When we thought maybe we should do it, we were discouraged because she is a girl and it really doesn't matter for girls. Then when we changed our minds and decided not to do it for various potential health issues, they recommended we revisit the idea in a year or two.
I guess I feel that unless there is a marked lack of naturally produced GH or there is a physiological lack of bone growth (i.e. delayed growth seen in the growth plates) then it's just a matter of letting nature take its course. But if there are medical factors involved it is a viable option.
My friend in school had a medical condition that stunted his growth so he did the GH and now, though by no means tall, he is at least in the average range and leading a very happy life. Could have gone without, but his self-esteem had tanked and that was not good.
Food for thought.
Hmm... I have no great ideas.
We have the worries of the other end. The boys are big. They are tall and they are solidly built.
Ed is starting to get nervous about the fact that we are still over a year away from Kindergarten and they are already look bigger than the 4, 5 and some 6 year olds we see. He'd like them to start this fall so there might not be as big a size difference.
I know you & Eric will do your research before making any decisions - I just want to put in my 2 cents about not fixing something that isn't broken, and the reminder of how tall our brother and uncles are.
Plus - as SC stated short men are sexy - very! rawr!
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