We just got back from Chase's 1 year and Peanut's 3 year checkup. Awful. Peanut is a shy child (to put it mildly) who was traumatized at a previous Pediatrician appt by a botched blood draw. Peanut socializes with zero kids and zero other people...her world consists of this house and occasional errands with Mommy and Daddy..she has no external stimulation. So appointments are difficult to begin with. But, really, who likes going to the doctor's...least of all a little kid??? The nurse (who looked to be about 16 with no experience with children of her own) was pushy and insistent that Peanut either lay on the table or stand on the scale so she could measure her height - immediately - at that instant. Peanut did not like this girl one bit (nor did I) and launched into a full-on meltdown during which time the nurse continued to push at Peanut while I attempted to calm her down. Finally, the girl left (oh my god, you don't have the height in the computer before the Queen Doctor arrives?) and I was able to get the measurement myself, having Peanut stand against a wall with me. Done...and dare I say more accurate than anything that pushy girl could have done. Then came the grilling of very pointed questions...along with the usual - are you breastfeeding (NOOOOO - check your GD charts I am getting tired of that question every single appointment...Ian spoke to you before that that was a sensitive subject for me...i didn't magically start producing milk after 1 year of formula), are you still using the nebulizer (NO, as we told you the last 2 times, we only used that once back in March and it was for congestion and no, Chase does not have asthma)....ugh. So then that nurse finally left (I think Peanut kind of scared or traumatized her...oh well...it was reciprocated) and then the pediatrician came in. Ian and I both felt that she was judging every little thing...every word, every movement...as if Peanut was some wild beast that needed to be assessed and that we were horribly inadequate parents. The appointment sucked. She wants us to have Peanut assessed by language development specialists. Apparently Peanut is hard to understand and may be behind in the language skills department. She asked us if we had considered sending her to preschool. No, we cannot afford preschool nor is Peanut potty trained at 3 years of age. Yes, I feel like shit for both of those things. Peanut is not getting any socialization nor any regular education/stimulation like kids in daycare/preschool. Since I cannot afford to send her to any classes or activities nor can I afford to stay home with her, I feel like I am failing her. I can't win. I guess most of the clientele at this practice can afford these things...their 3 year olds are probably enrolled in college prep courses and fluent in 3 languages and star athletes... Oh and to add salt to the wounds of failure...she wants to keep an eye on Chase because he hasn't said his first word yet and most kids have by 1 year of age. Most kids. Yup, we suck.
I have to figure out something...something to help Peanut and Chase to develop at a pace with their peers...and find a different pediatrician!
