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Your privacy is a PRIMARY consideration of AskDrSears.com. Your e-mail address is used ONLY by AskDrSears.com for the purpose of announcing news, events and special offers available only AskDrSears.com registered users. May 2006
During a nine-month check up I was talking to the parents about their baby’s sleep, or lack thereof. They were complaining that the baby woke up too much (like that was some sort of surprise or something). As we were talking, I was simultaneously examining their baby. I was trying to be sympathetic and think of some useful tips to share with them. So, I gave them a few ideas as I’m checking the baby’s ears and mouth, then I put on my stethoscope to listen to the heart. Well, naturally I can’t really talk to them during these 10 seconds, so there’s a brief lull in the conversation, during which time I’m trying to think of more brilliantly useful sleep tips to offer. I finished listening to the heart, sat up straight, took off the stethoscope, and said, “Hmmmm.”
Now, from my perspective, this was a completely benign and harmless “Hmmmm.” I was actually still pondering their baby’s sleep dilemma and trying to think of more answers. I had hoped my 10 seconds of quiet heart listening would be enough time for something to pop into my head. But it hadn’t, thus the “Hmmmm” when I was done.
Let’s switch to the parents’ perspective, which I now realize after the fact was a perfectly logical perspective to have. They see me examining their child, and up till now I’d shown no sign of puzzlement whatsoever. They watch me listen to their child’s heart, then sit up and say “Hmmmm”, accompanied by a look of puzzlement. Now a “Hmmmm” isn’t nearly as bad as, let’s say, an “Ooops” during surgery or a “You better sit down” when discussing biopsy results, but I can see how any parent would be immediately alarmed by a “Hmmmm” after a doctor listens to their baby’s heart. At least I can see that now. Too bad I couldn’t have seen, or foreseen, it then. Anyway, back to my perspective.
I noticed a look of very serious concern on their faces. I thought to myself, “Hmmmm . . . why are these two parents suddenly looking at me like I’d just told them their baby was going to die. This sleep problem isn’t that bad.” I was about to inquire as to the nature of their alarm, when the mom blurted out, “Is something wrong with the baby’s heart?!?!?!”
I’m like, “No, why do you ask?” Why on earth would she jump to a conclusion like that, I wondered. And then it hit me. That “Hmmmm”.
Hmmmmm “Oh no,” I said right away. “I was ‘Hmmmm-ing’ over the sleep problem. The heart is just fine.” Boy, were they ever relieved! And I’m sure more than a little annoyed. We all had a good laugh after that. Or at least I did. I wonder if they found the whole thing quite as funny as I did. Hmmmmm . . .Dr. Bob Did you miss one of our previous diary entries?
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