I'm a day late with this, but last night Ethan was still up 40 minutes after his usual bedtime because he kept INSISTING he had to go potty, even after he finally peed. As a result, I didn't have enough time to sit down and summarize the pediatrician visit, which thankfully was a very good one! We'll start, as usual, with the stats:
Length: 32.25" (50th percentile) - I'm not entirely sure about this measurement because I'm almost positive he's grown more than 1/4" in the past three months. But whatever.
Weight: 23 lbs. 7 oz (20th-25th percentile)
Head Circumference: 49 cm (75th percentile)
So he is more average for height if that measurement is correct, he's hovering around the same percentile as usual for weight, and he's gone up slightly in percentile for head circumference. Must be all that learnin' he's doing!
His chest and ears were clear, which was my only concern after that awful cold. The doctor said as long as he's acting normally, I don't need to worry about his high fevers, so it was nice to hear that from a doctor. Speaking of the doctor, I could not love this practice more. Not only was there no wait on a Friday, he is just such a friendly person. He spent most of the appointment tickling Ethan under his chin, talking about how cute he is, and genuinely acting interested in what he was doing. Ethan absolutely adores him and doesn't mind the examination at all. And since there was no wait, I didn't have a chance to finish filling out the developmental profile in the waiting room, so the doctor actually got Ethan dressed for me while I finished it! Talk about a good bedside manner!
His developmental profile was well above average yet again, and obviously the autism screen was negative. It amused me that in the "What your child should be doing at this age" packet they give at every well-child check, it specifically says "At 18 months, most toddlers are not yet showing signs that they are ready for toilet training." Ha. Once again today, Ethan only had two wet diapers (one while he was in the car and one while he was eating lunch), which is especially notable considering he was in the car for probably 3 hours today and out of the house for 6. He used public potties 4 times today and even was able to hold it for a couple of miles while we drove to the nearest restaurant. I remain incredibly impressed by him!
The only other thing of note from his appointment was that he was supposed to receive his last Hep. A vaccine. When I made the appointment, I specifically checked with the nurse to make sure there was no issue with spacing for his shots, and she assured me he was fine. Well, he was 3 days too early. SO that just means he will get it at his 2 year appointment, which was supposed to be shot-free, so it's annoying but fine since his 18 mo. appointment ended up being shot-free instead. Then no more shots until he's 5!
We went straight from the doctor to the library for our weekly trip, where he flirted with two little girls and their nanny. He seriously had that nanny wrapped around his finger, reading him books and giving him hugs! All in all, a great morning!
Showing posts with label Pedi Reports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pedi Reports. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
Fifteen Month Appointment
We finally had Ethan's 15-month appointment today. It was pushed back since we were later going in for his 12 month one, and the weekend pushed us back further, so that's why it was almost a week after the fact. Let's begin with his stats:
Length: 32" (just above 75th percentile)
Weight: 22 lbs. 12 oz. (just above 25th percentile)
Head Circumference: 47.5 cm (60th percentile)
So he slowed down some on his growth, gained some in his weight, and stayed about the same for his head circ. He's back up to where he's been for his weight curve, and the doctor said he looks great!
The rest of the appointment was fairly uneventful. Ethan was much more shy than usual and fussed some about being examined, which could have been because he had to be awakened from his morning nap in order to get there in time. I asked the doctor about Ethan's picky eating habits, and the doctor said it's totally normal and that if Ethan decides to skip a meal here and there because he refuses to eat what is served, it's not going to hurt him. I don't think I'm quite ready to do that yet, so I may stay a short-order cook for the time being, but it's nice to have the reassurance. Apparently growth really starts to slow down starting between 15-18 months so being less hungry + toddler pickiness = stubborn toddler refusing to eat.
He did his usual wailing at the moment of the shots but was totally fine as soon as I got him in my arms. Unfortunately, this round has left him feeling rather poorly. It seemed to hit just in time for his afternoon nap, so after a failed attempt at getting him in the crib, he ended up asleep in the wrap again. When he woke up, he was crying unless he was nursing (even just switching between breasts), so I finally caved to giving him some Ibuprofen, which thankfully seems to have helped some as he's currently at least quiet in the nursery, if not already asleep. Hopefully the reaction will pass quickly, and he'll be back to normal tomorrow!
Length: 32" (just above 75th percentile)
Weight: 22 lbs. 12 oz. (just above 25th percentile)
Head Circumference: 47.5 cm (60th percentile)
So he slowed down some on his growth, gained some in his weight, and stayed about the same for his head circ. He's back up to where he's been for his weight curve, and the doctor said he looks great!
The rest of the appointment was fairly uneventful. Ethan was much more shy than usual and fussed some about being examined, which could have been because he had to be awakened from his morning nap in order to get there in time. I asked the doctor about Ethan's picky eating habits, and the doctor said it's totally normal and that if Ethan decides to skip a meal here and there because he refuses to eat what is served, it's not going to hurt him. I don't think I'm quite ready to do that yet, so I may stay a short-order cook for the time being, but it's nice to have the reassurance. Apparently growth really starts to slow down starting between 15-18 months so being less hungry + toddler pickiness = stubborn toddler refusing to eat.
He did his usual wailing at the moment of the shots but was totally fine as soon as I got him in my arms. Unfortunately, this round has left him feeling rather poorly. It seemed to hit just in time for his afternoon nap, so after a failed attempt at getting him in the crib, he ended up asleep in the wrap again. When he woke up, he was crying unless he was nursing (even just switching between breasts), so I finally caved to giving him some Ibuprofen, which thankfully seems to have helped some as he's currently at least quiet in the nursery, if not already asleep. Hopefully the reaction will pass quickly, and he'll be back to normal tomorrow!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Twelve month appointment
Well, it's that time again! I went into this appointment with some apprehension because I knew it would be the first finger prick, and I knew how much I hated having that done when I was little. Plus, while it provides important information about his health, finger pricks don't provide the same benefits as vaccinations do to compensate for the pain. Anyway, let's start with his stats:
Length - 31" (90th percentile)
Weight - 20 lbs. 10 oz (20th-25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 47 cm (60th percentile)
So I guess his length measurement at his 9 month appointment was right after all! We've got a long and lean little boy, and the doctor said he looks perfect! We did the developmental assessment again, and Ethan scored slightly above average for communication, above average for social skills and problem solving, and well above average (the highest possible) for gross motor skills and fine motor skills. In short, my son is just awesome!
Now on to the dreaded finger prick. I held Ethan in my lap to keep him still (no easy task!) and comfort him. I reassured him that it would just be a quick stick and prepared for the inevitable screaming. She stabbed his finger (twice!) and Ethan just sat there. No crying. No whimpering. Not even one of his patented glares. However, once the lab tech began holding onto his finger to squeeze the blood into the vial, he got pissed off. I think he thought he was getting his nails trimmed because he acted about the same as he does then! =) All in all, much better than I expected it to go!
So then it was time for the shots. He was only getting two today, but they're never fun. As expected, he let out a bitter wail shortly after the first shot, let out another cry for the second one, and was back to normal (albeit rather perturbed) as soon as I got him back in my arms. After a short nursing session, we were off!
He was a bit more cuddly than usual today, and he nursed an awful lot, but other than that, he hasn't shown any ill effects. We're not in the clear yet, though, since the fever often shows up the next day, and I'm especially nervous about how he'll react to the MMR vaccine. I just don't know that I could leave him if he does end up with a fever and feeling crummy, so I may be emailing my professor at the last minute tomorrow. Hopefully though he'll just be his healthy, well-proportioned, above average self!
Length - 31" (90th percentile)
Weight - 20 lbs. 10 oz (20th-25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 47 cm (60th percentile)
So I guess his length measurement at his 9 month appointment was right after all! We've got a long and lean little boy, and the doctor said he looks perfect! We did the developmental assessment again, and Ethan scored slightly above average for communication, above average for social skills and problem solving, and well above average (the highest possible) for gross motor skills and fine motor skills. In short, my son is just awesome!
Now on to the dreaded finger prick. I held Ethan in my lap to keep him still (no easy task!) and comfort him. I reassured him that it would just be a quick stick and prepared for the inevitable screaming. She stabbed his finger (twice!) and Ethan just sat there. No crying. No whimpering. Not even one of his patented glares. However, once the lab tech began holding onto his finger to squeeze the blood into the vial, he got pissed off. I think he thought he was getting his nails trimmed because he acted about the same as he does then! =) All in all, much better than I expected it to go!
So then it was time for the shots. He was only getting two today, but they're never fun. As expected, he let out a bitter wail shortly after the first shot, let out another cry for the second one, and was back to normal (albeit rather perturbed) as soon as I got him back in my arms. After a short nursing session, we were off!
He was a bit more cuddly than usual today, and he nursed an awful lot, but other than that, he hasn't shown any ill effects. We're not in the clear yet, though, since the fever often shows up the next day, and I'm especially nervous about how he'll react to the MMR vaccine. I just don't know that I could leave him if he does end up with a fever and feeling crummy, so I may be emailing my professor at the last minute tomorrow. Hopefully though he'll just be his healthy, well-proportioned, above average self!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Nine month appointment
Ethan's still doing great! Unfortunately, we had a surly nurse who I know got at least the weight wrong, so I'm not sure how much to trust the rest of her measurements. Yes, Ethan was wiggly, but he's 9 months old, so don't just say "Good enough." and be done with it. Plus, she actually scoffed when I said I still nurse him five times a day. As a result, I'm going to use the weight from last night since I believe it's more accurate, and just don't put too much stock in the other measurements, either =)
Length - 29.25" (82nd percentile)
Weight - 18 lbs. 15 oz. (25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 45.5 cm. (57th percentile)
You can see why I might think his length measurement was off, too. Ethan has been at the 25th percentile for length since birth, so I don't know why he'd all of a sudden skyrocket up to the 80th. He's definitely grown a lot, but has he really grown that much? I guess we'll see what happens at his 12 month appointment. The other two measurements show a slight decrease in percentile from his 6-month appointment, which I sort of expected. I knew his weight might decrease a bit since he's so mobile (and it had really surged prior to his last appointment, anyway), and now his head circumference is back to being more average. Regardless of all the numbers, he looks completely proportionate, so I think that says enough!
No shots this time, but the doctor reminded us that his next appointment will be the beginning of the finger pricks. Ouch!
Length - 29.25" (82nd percentile)
Weight - 18 lbs. 15 oz. (25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 45.5 cm. (57th percentile)
You can see why I might think his length measurement was off, too. Ethan has been at the 25th percentile for length since birth, so I don't know why he'd all of a sudden skyrocket up to the 80th. He's definitely grown a lot, but has he really grown that much? I guess we'll see what happens at his 12 month appointment. The other two measurements show a slight decrease in percentile from his 6-month appointment, which I sort of expected. I knew his weight might decrease a bit since he's so mobile (and it had really surged prior to his last appointment, anyway), and now his head circumference is back to being more average. Regardless of all the numbers, he looks completely proportionate, so I think that says enough!
No shots this time, but the doctor reminded us that his next appointment will be the beginning of the finger pricks. Ouch!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Six month appointment
Well, we can no longer make fun of Ethan's Uncle William about the size of his head...
Length - 26" (still at the 25th percentile)
Weight - 16 lbs. 8 oz. (moved up to about the 35th percentile!!!)
Head Circumference - 44.5 cm (moved up to the 75th percentile)
That's right. He's stayed at the same percentile for height, really is thriving in weight, and is skyrocketing up in head circumference! At 2 months, he was at the 25th percentile, at 4 months he was just over the 50th percentile, and now he's at the 75th! His brain is definitely growing fast.
He did awesomely with his shots. He fought the nurse tooth-and-nail over the oral shot (she said she'd never seen a baby so young be so clever about it - ergo, the big head). When it came to the actual shots, his face got red, he puckered, and he let out a long wail, but as soon as I picked him up, he grinned at the nurse and blew a raspberry. He continued to smile and flirt while I got him dressed and in the waiting room, and he played with his feet the whole way home. Now he's happily asleep on my chest, so hopefully he won't be as fussy this time, especially since he only got 2 shots this time.
In other news, the attempt at sweet potatoes this morning was a semi-success. He opened his mouth when he saw the spoon, but then he furrowed his brow and gave me a look like "What the heck, Mom?" He tentatively ate two more spoonfuls before he tried to push the spoon away. So definitely not as big a hit as bananas, but much better than a week ago!
My little boy is growing up!
Length - 26" (still at the 25th percentile)
Weight - 16 lbs. 8 oz. (moved up to about the 35th percentile!!!)
Head Circumference - 44.5 cm (moved up to the 75th percentile)
That's right. He's stayed at the same percentile for height, really is thriving in weight, and is skyrocketing up in head circumference! At 2 months, he was at the 25th percentile, at 4 months he was just over the 50th percentile, and now he's at the 75th! His brain is definitely growing fast.
He did awesomely with his shots. He fought the nurse tooth-and-nail over the oral shot (she said she'd never seen a baby so young be so clever about it - ergo, the big head). When it came to the actual shots, his face got red, he puckered, and he let out a long wail, but as soon as I picked him up, he grinned at the nurse and blew a raspberry. He continued to smile and flirt while I got him dressed and in the waiting room, and he played with his feet the whole way home. Now he's happily asleep on my chest, so hopefully he won't be as fussy this time, especially since he only got 2 shots this time.
In other news, the attempt at sweet potatoes this morning was a semi-success. He opened his mouth when he saw the spoon, but then he furrowed his brow and gave me a look like "What the heck, Mom?" He tentatively ate two more spoonfuls before he tried to push the spoon away. So definitely not as big a hit as bananas, but much better than a week ago!
My little boy is growing up!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Four month appointment
Ethan is thriving! That feels so good to type! He has lost some weight this week due to his cold, so he's not quite as awesome as I'd hoped, but he's still doing fantastically! Here are the stats:
Length - 24" (still at the 25th percentile)
Weight - 12 lbs. 12 oz.* (moved up from 5th percentile to 10th-25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 42.5 cm. (moved up from 25th percentile to 50th-75th percentile)
* He's been weighing 13 lbs. 2-5 oz. post-feeding at home, so I'm chalking this difference up to different scales and possibly the cold making him lose some weight
He was all smiles when we got there, flirting with all of the staff and other patients and parents. When we were waiting for the doctor in the exam room, I was playing with him and he began laughing a lot, complete with squeals, belly laughs, giggles, the full gamut. A nurse even peeked her head in to see what in the world was making him so excited! He remained happy during the exam, flirting with the doctor and showing off his new skills. He got a little fussy while we were waiting for the nurse with his shots because by this point he was ready for a nap. And oh did he scream with the vaccines! Again, I don't get why parents cry over it, but you do feel bad for the little guy. I nursed him afterwards until he seemed like he was going to try to go to sleep nursing, and then he got upset at having the boob taken away, but he was back to smiles once we got back around other people to flirt with in the waiting room. He fussed briefly at home but went to sleep pretty quickly and has been napping for almost an hour so far. All in all, it was a great visit, and hopefully he won't be too bothered by the shots this time.
I still have one more project to finish before I can get to some belated blog posts, but as a reminder to myself, look for upcoming posts about Christmas (complete with pictures!), developmental milestones (he's got busy hands), and going back to school.
Length - 24" (still at the 25th percentile)
Weight - 12 lbs. 12 oz.* (moved up from 5th percentile to 10th-25th percentile)
Head Circumference - 42.5 cm. (moved up from 25th percentile to 50th-75th percentile)
* He's been weighing 13 lbs. 2-5 oz. post-feeding at home, so I'm chalking this difference up to different scales and possibly the cold making him lose some weight
He was all smiles when we got there, flirting with all of the staff and other patients and parents. When we were waiting for the doctor in the exam room, I was playing with him and he began laughing a lot, complete with squeals, belly laughs, giggles, the full gamut. A nurse even peeked her head in to see what in the world was making him so excited! He remained happy during the exam, flirting with the doctor and showing off his new skills. He got a little fussy while we were waiting for the nurse with his shots because by this point he was ready for a nap. And oh did he scream with the vaccines! Again, I don't get why parents cry over it, but you do feel bad for the little guy. I nursed him afterwards until he seemed like he was going to try to go to sleep nursing, and then he got upset at having the boob taken away, but he was back to smiles once we got back around other people to flirt with in the waiting room. He fussed briefly at home but went to sleep pretty quickly and has been napping for almost an hour so far. All in all, it was a great visit, and hopefully he won't be too bothered by the shots this time.
I still have one more project to finish before I can get to some belated blog posts, but as a reminder to myself, look for upcoming posts about Christmas (complete with pictures!), developmental milestones (he's got busy hands), and going back to school.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Two month appointment
I'm a few days late with this, but oh well! Ethan had his two-month-old well child appointment on Monday, and it went really well. He was grumpy with me because he missed his nap due to sleeping later than usual and having to get to the doctor, but he fell asleep while we were waiting for the doctor so he got a bit of a nap in. He was in good spirits for the doctor, smiling at him and being absolutely adorable. I really like this doctor, too, by the way, so I'm quite happy with our choice of pedi offices. The doctor said he looked great, and he was happy with Ethan's growth, which of course is a huge relief. He was up to 9 lbs. as of the appointment and measured around 22" (the nurse couldn't get a good measurement because he was grumpy about being woken up and refused to have his legs stretched out). So he got a good report on growth, developmental milestones, and the physical exam. Then it was time for the shots.
Now, everyone talks about how horrible seeing their baby get shots is. Many mothers cry. I am not one of those mothers. I know that the shots are a momentary discomfort that are entirely worth it, no matter what those anti-vaccination nuts say. So when the nurse stuck him and Ethan's bottom lip puckered out and he did his wide-eyed cry/scream? Not only did I not cry, I had to fight back a smile because he looked so freaking adorable. I hate that he was in pain, of course, but my being upset about it would only get him more upset, so instead I spoke comforting words and promised to nurse him as soon as the shots were over. The nursing seemed to calm him some, and he happily accepted his pacifier as we left, but he began crying again when it fell out of his mouth and ended up crying himself to sleep on the short drive home. So, all in all, the actual getting of the shots wasn't bad at all.
However, seeing how pitiful and miserable he was with the ensuing slight fever was horrible! I just wanted to cuddle him all day and night. He cried unless he was eating or sleeping, and he would startle constantly during clothing and diaper changes because he felt so cold with his elevated temperature. He slept a lot, though, including a 7.5 hour stretch on Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning, he was back to normal. Thankfully, we have 2 months before we have to do that again.
Overall, it was a great appointment. Hopefully he won't have to go back to the doctor again until his four-month-old well child check, which will most likely be the day after I start back at school (yikes!). I'm so thankful that he's finally thriving and can't wait until weight worries are a thing of the past!
Now, everyone talks about how horrible seeing their baby get shots is. Many mothers cry. I am not one of those mothers. I know that the shots are a momentary discomfort that are entirely worth it, no matter what those anti-vaccination nuts say. So when the nurse stuck him and Ethan's bottom lip puckered out and he did his wide-eyed cry/scream? Not only did I not cry, I had to fight back a smile because he looked so freaking adorable. I hate that he was in pain, of course, but my being upset about it would only get him more upset, so instead I spoke comforting words and promised to nurse him as soon as the shots were over. The nursing seemed to calm him some, and he happily accepted his pacifier as we left, but he began crying again when it fell out of his mouth and ended up crying himself to sleep on the short drive home. So, all in all, the actual getting of the shots wasn't bad at all.
However, seeing how pitiful and miserable he was with the ensuing slight fever was horrible! I just wanted to cuddle him all day and night. He cried unless he was eating or sleeping, and he would startle constantly during clothing and diaper changes because he felt so cold with his elevated temperature. He slept a lot, though, including a 7.5 hour stretch on Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning, he was back to normal. Thankfully, we have 2 months before we have to do that again.
Overall, it was a great appointment. Hopefully he won't have to go back to the doctor again until his four-month-old well child check, which will most likely be the day after I start back at school (yikes!). I'm so thankful that he's finally thriving and can't wait until weight worries are a thing of the past!
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