Endocrinologist

This is going to be a short post because it's been a LONG day but I wanted to let anyone who was curious know what happened at Alexander's endocrinologist appointment today. The doctor looked at the paperwork I had filled out and asked me a few more questions. Then he checked Alexander's teeth and felt the bones in his arms and legs. He listened to his heart because I guess all doctors have to wear and demonstrate the use of a stethoscope or people wouldn't believe they were really a doctor. The doctor was actually very nice and not once did he look at me like I was stupid (which I always appreciate). Then he showed me where Alexander was falling on the growth chart. He pointed out what I already knew, that Alexander is growing on the same shape curve as the normal curve, he's just smaller than normal. Then he said that this is encouraging because a child exhibiting growth hormone deficiency would have slowed down in his relative growth, stopped growing all together, or even gotten smaller. So because of that, the doctor said there would be no need to test Alexander's blood today; that basically he's not showing any actual signs of growth hormone deficiency. So all we have to do is watch Alexander's growth curve and we will get him tested only if shows the signs the doctor mentioned. Then the doctor had me talk to the staff nutritionist and she told me more stuff I already know but it was good because it re-emphasized a lot of the goals that we have been making lately.

So even though I could have told you 90% of this stuff without ever having gone to an endocrinologist, the visit was good. Everyone I talked to was good at their job and that's always refreshing. And now I can tell the pediatrician that we don't need to take Alexander's blood so she can stop bugging me. And I can move forward with renewed hope that working on Alexander's eating habits will eventually put him back on the chart.