We met Robert’s dad in town, and he gave us a lift to Cape Town Medi-Clinic where my son was born. I was determined to make the effort of seeing a proper pediatrician this time, because it seems like too many GPs and medical interns have tried their hands at treating my boy recently.

Robert did not throw up again yesterday, but he still had no appetite and gagged on almost everything I tried to feed him, he even snubbed his favorite foods such as yogurt and baked beans. He did not even accept his milk bottle and reverted to nursing three times a day. Of course my attempts at weaning him were abandoned two weeks ago already, when he had the ear infection.

I forgot how pleasant the practice of Dr. I was. The waiting room looks like a comfortable living room with many oversize teddy bears and toys thrown around. There are also toddler size chairs and a REAL telephone for the kids to play with. During the examination Dr. I produced a toy stethoscope which kept little one busy as his doctor listened to his chest.

The doctor pronounced Robert well, and free from ear infection. The anti biotic was unnecessary, he said, and he expected his appetite to return gradually to normal. Unfortunately, Robert’s prolonged fasting made him loose at least 200g of his weight. He is now under average in weight, while he remains above average in height.

The measurements for today:

Weight : 10 kg (less than 75% of children his age)

Length: 80 cm (more than 75% of children his age)

Circumference of Head: 46 cm.

Dr. I also made notes about Robert’s general development. Stranger anxiety was the norm for toddlers his age, but it made examining him difficult. A toddler only becomes more tolerant of doctors’ poking after two-and-a-half years of age. Robert’s ability to point, indicated his attempts at communicating and along with his vocabulary (half a dozen words or so) meant that he is an intelligent child, of course I knew this one already.

Good news all around it seems.  The biggest event in the world today is the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. This gave many people something to smile about. I am in the happy crowd today.